Left in Pieces
by EmberFalcon
Summary: We both may be hanyous, but you have never felt the pain of having your soul divided by the void of darkness. Now though, you will...
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I'm hopelessly stuck on "Two Souls, One Heart," but that won't stop me from moving on with other stories! I swear, I will update on it, for those who actually read it, but in the meantime, please take this as a sort of peace offering.

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, the series would have started up again in America by now, and they would have dubbed the fifth movie in English already. Sheesh –cries in a corner-

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Many young children hear the word "evil," and think of tales told to them by their parents of a classic "bad guys versus good guys" scenario, a clash of light and darkness, and a happy ending for everyone but the wrongdoers. To the more mature, albeit inexperienced and still slightly oblivious adults, the word brought forth images of a darkened figure in a fierce battle against many strong warriors, or perhaps an everyday band of rogue thieves going on a slaughter or maybe a raid through a village. Either case, of course, could be seen with their points and their own logics, however varied they may be, but for those who have seen evil at its worst, stared it in the eye and defied it, these ideals were mere diluted versions of the true terror of that word and all that it implied. However, I believe that I am straying off topic here. I only speak of different views of the definition of the word "evil" because there are six particular individuals facing that same threat as we speak. Yes, I am of course speaking of Inuyasha the inu-hanyou, Kagome the reincarnated miko, Sango the demon slayer, Miroku the perverted monk, Shippo the young fox demon, and Kirara the twin-tailed fire cat demon. These friends were, of course, facing the only evil that seemed to loom over them, shattering their lives: Naraku the dark hanyou. Unbeknownst to our heroes, this evil man, this…monster, would do just that to one of our friends once again.

"Naraku, you sick bastard! Die!" Inuyasha cried as he hefted his mighty fang, the Tetsusaiga, high into the air. The blade, usually brilliant silver, was now coated in glistening diamond, making the sword look all the more regal when it caught the faint light from behind the thick clouds that loomed overhead. "ADAMANT BARRAGE!" The inu-hanyou sent his blade crashing down at a remarkable speed. The coating of adamant on the sword channeled itself from the blade and shattered into large airborne splinters that seemed to hone in on Naraku like heat seeking missiles. The massive shards of adamant hit their target spot on, each one shredding a considerable part of their enemy's body. When the attack was over, all that was left of Naraku was a floating head held within his barrier of miasma. Rather than be fazed by such a powerful blow, he merely chuckled under his breath at his opponent's tactics.

"Haven't you figured it out, Inuyasha?" Naraku asked smugly. The others watched in dismay as the menace began to regenerate his body, as if such a powerful attack as the Adamant Barrage was mere child's play to him. "You cannot destroy a body that is not even here, you pathetic half-breed," Inuyasha growled at the hypocritical nemesis on the other side of the battleground.

"Like you have any room to talk! You're a half-breed just like me!" Inuyasha's enraged cry bellowed out across the field. Naraku's eyes suddenly seemed to darken over in rage, more so than ever before.

"That may be true enough, but you were born that way," the amount of hatred evident in his voice only seemed to increase tenfold as he continued, "we're both hanyous, but you don't know the pain of having your soul divided by the void of darkness…" as he spoke, one of his innumerable tentacles was poised to strike the inu-hanyou. "But now, you will," Naraku sent the tentacle sailing toward Inuyasha, who easily brought his sword in front of him. The Steel Cleaving Fang easily cut through the tentacle like butter, splitting it down the middle. He smirked triumphantly, seeing his sword easily destroy a part of Naraku. His smirk disappeared, however, when he noticed the miasma clouding around him, pouring from the tentacle he had just severed. His eyes were wide with realization: that Naraku _wanted_ him to destroy that tentacle. It was merely a set up! A trap!

Having no where to go, the inu-hanyou could only watch in horror as the miasma closed in on him, his fear only increasing when he realized that he was unable to move any muscle in his body. He sucked in a quick breath and held it, hoping that if he did not inhale it, it wouldn't cause any damage to him. Everything around him was dissipating into a purple haze. He could only reach out to Kagome's approaching aura and pray that someone could help him get out of this mess. He faintly head Naraku give another dark chuckle from somewhere outside of the miasma that blinded him.

"Holding your breath won't do you any good; the miasma is being absorbed into your skin, your eyes, and your ears. Soon, every ounce of that miasma will be inside of you," Inuyasha's pupils contracted three times over in pain when he noticed that what Naraku said was indeed true; the miasma was thinning out, and he could feel it corroding his insides. Oddly enough, though, it wasn't targeted at destroying him, but it seemed to create a sort of void between his two halves (demon and human)…and then he realized what Naraku's true intentions were.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's heart raced in fear as her hanyou collapsed into the blood bathed dirt, Tetsusaiga falling idly a few feet to his left. Naraku loomed a few yards ahead of Inuyasha, smirking coldly at the inu-hanyou's convulsing body lying on the earth floor.

"Soon, you too shall face the pain of rejection because of your split soul, because of your appearance. You will know the pain of having mere fragments of what used to be something that was whole. You will understand what true turmoil feels like. And what of Kagome; how will you be able to handle her rejection?"

"Shut up, you bastard!" Kagome tore her gaze from Inuyasha's trembling form to notch an arrow onto her bow and release it toward her enemy. With a sinister chuckle, the evil hanyou dissipated under her holy powers and faded from sight. The miko mentally cursed Naraku for being such a coward before she slung her bow back onto her shoulder and began to make her way over to the –now kneeling- inu hanyou, ignoring the others that had just now entered the battlefield closely behind her. She couldn't help but mentally scold Inuyasha for running off without them to fight Naraku on his own this time.

"Inuya-"

"Stay away," she froze at his quiet, almost soft demand, although she could tell from the pleading tone in his voice that this was not like any of the other times he had snapped at her; oddly enough, he seemed…defeated. She started moving toward him again, her pace at a walk as she inched closer to her hanyou. It was then that she noticed that his dog ear was gone, replaced with a pointed youkai ear, much like that of Sesshomaru and Koga. Her thin brows drew together in confusion. How had that happened…? Although she could only see his left side from where she was standing, she knew that something was definitely wrong with him; his bangs covered his eyes as he bowed his head sadly. She reached out a delicate hand toward the hanyou to gently touch his shoulder in reassurance as she knelt beside him.

"What's wrong? Please, tell me-"

"That bastard…made me a monster…"

"What are you talking a-" before she could finish her sentence, he turned his head quietly to fully face her, and despite her best efforts, she could not keep her gasp of shock from escaping, despite retracting her hand from his shoulder to cup over her mouth.

His left half of his body resembled his youkai form: silver hair, red eye, blue pupil and iris, purple jagged streak along his jaw bone, and an elongated fang. What was different was that his dog ear was replaced with a pointed youkai ear, as Kagome had noticed before. However, his right half of his body resembled his human form: black hair, violet eye, no fang, and a human ear. Now the full extent of Naraku's words sunk in to her mind… "separated by the void of darkness…" Naraku's miasma was separating Inuyasha's demon and human blood. Kagome then recalled the legend of half demons that Ai-chan and the other hanyou children had told them on Horai Island. _"The left hand represents the hand of the youkai, a symbol of strength and protection. The right hand represents the hand of the human, a symbol of nurture and comfort."_ Her expression softened as she looked down at his hands, noting that his left sported elongated claws, while his right held mere human nails.

Taking her reaction as rejection, Inuyasha cringed and jerked his head away, fearful of the taunting that he was so accustomed to. Seeing him misunderstand her actions, Kagome once again reached out to comfort him. "Inuyasha," she placed her hand once again on his shoulder in an attempt to coax him into looking at her. He eventually turned his head back toward the miko, his saddened expression softening slightly at her gentle gaze. Offering him a comforting smile, she explained, "I was just surprised with the change, that's all. I'm sorry to have done that and made you upset." He gave a half-assed 'keh' in an attempt to maintain his indifferent behavior, but in the state he was in, it was proving nearly impossible. She saw his worry in his eyes, his fear, even in his demon eye; his emotions were very much readable to Kagome. "Don't worry; none of us will view you any differently. Once we get back to Kaede's, we can ask for her help on how to correct this, alright?" She cooed to him as she stood and offered her hand to him. He ignored her hand and stood, too wrapped up in his own swirling thoughts to notice it in the first place. Understanding his dilemma, she wasn't hurt by the action. So, with an encouraging smile in his direction, she placed a hand on his back and started to walk with him back toward their friends.

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ugh…this one started off as a mess…but I promise it'll get much better! I know that I promise a lot of things, but I don't think I've broken one of them yet (I think). In the next chapter, you'll see the reaction Inuyasha's change has received in Kaede's village, and I'm warning you- it's not a good one. Stick around!


	2. Exile

Moving along –thinks of All-American Rejects song- …uhh…what was I saying…? Oh, right- the update! Here you go!

Warning in advance: once they get to the village, our poor Inu will not like the villagers' reactions to what happened to him. If anyone cries because of this or feels the need to give Inu a hug, please refrain yourselves, and I'll send in Kagome to do the job, alright? So no tears from anyone, and in exchange, Kagome gets to comfort him, got it? Great! –Sorry, I just don't like when I make people cry. It makes me sad on the inside ;-; and we don't want that, do we? I didn't think so XD.

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"What happened to Inuyasha…?" Shippo muttered to Miroku when they saw Kagome hesitantly approach the hanyou. They watched from afar as Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder, seemingly to coax him into standing, or perhaps for comfort. In response to his question, the monk studied the hanyou's hesitant reaction to Kagome's touch as they stood to make their way back over by them before replying,

"I don't know, Shippo, but judging by the change in his appearance and his aura, I'd safely wager that Naraku was behind it," he commented when he saw that Inuyasha's hair was half silver on his left and half black on his right. From this distance, the details of his appearance were invisible to his human eyes, but the heavy darkness that had settled within Inuyasha's aura most definitely did not go unnoticed.

"Hey guys, we're back," Kagome said, her hand still soothingly placed on the small of Inuyasha's back as he bowed his head. The last thing he wanted his friends to see was the ashamed look on his face. He felt the hand on his back tighten just the slightest bit, and he drew comfort from that, silently thanking Kagome for her support when he knew he wouldn't find the courage to out loud.

"Kagome…about Inuyasha…" understanding what Sango's implied question was, she gently explained the situation and that Naraku's miasma was to blame for this. When all four of their companions nodded in understanding (four including Kirara,) they suggested the same thing that Kagome had to Inuyasha earlier; that they should head to Kaede's to seek her advice. The hanyou silently agreed, still trying to sort himself.

As odd as it sounds, he seemed…unbalanced; his left half, his youkai half, was obviously the stronger half, but he never really noticed such a difference in power until he started to actually move. With every move he made, he would often underestimate the strength of his left half, which seemed to have an abundance of power, and he'd end up using more strength than intended, while his right half seemed to stumble uncertainly about, clearly being the weaker of the two, and having to be used often to gain control of his movements. Breathing was even a chore, now that one lung was noticeably superior to the other; his chest would throb painfully if he breathed in too deeply, or too shallowly, resulting in several aches in his upper torso that he had otherwise never thought could be possible.

He was grateful, however, for Kagome's hand, now resting on the middle of his back. He used her hand as a center of gravity to steady himself when he was unsure of his footfalls, and he mentally thanked her for her help yet again. He would occasionally allow his demon eye a glance at her (for she was standing to his left, after all,) and she would in turn face him with a gentle, almost reassuring smile that made him feel almost as if things would be okay in the end.

His musings were temporarily put off when they came to the border of Kaede's village. Inuyasha and Kagome, behind the rest of the group, hesitated a moment. Well, Inuyasha had, and Kagome had stayed beside him. She looked up at him, retracting her hand from his back after one last squeeze of his haori. "Inuyasha…?" She questioned softly. He wrinkled his nose a moment in an attempt to scowl. Rather than respond, he gave no signs of acknowledgement and continued deeper into the village. With a quiet sigh, she moved to stay at his side as they continued.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara had already made it to Kaede's, and were explaining their latest dilemma to the aged priestess, when Inuyasha and Kagome had made it down to the row of houses that made up the village. Those who were outside took notice of Inuyasha's changed appearance almost immediately. Some were shocked, some were frightened, but all were highly prejudice of the change in their own silent way. Even Kaede seemed weary of Inuyasha at first, and the hanyou couldn't help but allow himself a mental whimper at their silent rejections. The villagers had now crowded around behind the hanyou and his miko, forming a half circle curving away from them, as if they were infected by a deadly virus. One of the elders of the village stepped forth through the crowd.

"You there, Inuyasha," the old man called. With a barely visible flinch, the hanyou turned to face the one who addressed him. After regarding him for a moment, the elder spoke again, "what has happened to you, lad?" Inuyasha was afraid that if he opened his mouth, they would see his one elongated fang and possibly start some sort of uproar about it. Thankfully, Sango and Miroku understood that risk and quickly explained everything that they were told that led up to this. There was a pause as the villagers gathered around their elder for advice. The soft roar of their mutterings was silenced immediately when the old man raised a hand high in the air to get everyone's attention. "It is apparent that Naraku has marked you as his target. Leave us," the old man spoke harshly to the hanyou. He flinched once again, this time a bit more visibly than he would have liked. One of the younger men spoke up,

"Until you are back to your original form, you are not welcome in this village, half-demon. We will not let our village be destroyed because of you." Kagome's eyes widened at the villagers that had seemed to so openly welcome them all this time suddenly demanding that he leave. She had to stand up for him! She had to say _something_!

"How can you say that? He's protected this village for so long!" She exclaimed from his side.

"Be that as it may, we have no choice but to exile you, half-breed. The sentence will expire when you become yourself again. Now leave us willingly, or we shall have no choice but to use force." Many cries of agreement, mixed with some insults directed toward the silent hanyou rose up in a chaotic union in Inuyasha's ears. He suddenly felt so small, so insignificant, worthless, even more so than he had already, mainly because he was being forced to re-live his exile from his home village when he was a pup.

'_But…_

_I have someone that...I__ have to protect now…_

…_I have to protect Kagome…'_

The villagers' eyes all widened in horror as they saw Inuyasha step toward them slowly, his head bent so that his silver and black bangs covered his red-blue and violet eyes respectively. He stopped when he was about a foot away from the village elder, not saying anything for a few moments before speaking up in a quiet voice,

"The Goshinboku," the elder's brow creased in confusion. Inuyasha lifted his head to look the old man square in the eyes before he elaborated, "is the Goshinboku far enough away that I don't tarnish your precious damn village?" He growled out, hiding his pain with anger, as he had always taught himself to do. The elder seemed to ponder over the proposition a moment before nodding his head solemnly.

"But come any closer and we will not hesitate to eliminate you." Kagome knew that exiling Inuyasha would solve absolutely nothing, and she felt that there was no justification for him being punished for something that wasn't even his fault!

"You can't just do this to him! Why must you be so cruel-?"

"Kagome." She froze in shock at the firm voice that called her. That was Inuyasha! She turned toward his back, silently demanding an explanation as to why he suddenly stopped her like that. He turned his head to look over his right shoulder, exposing his human eye to her. "Don't." was all he muttered darkly before fully turning and heading for the place of his exile. She gently caught his shoulder as he was about to walk past her.

"Inuyasha, please-" He cut her off with a sharp glare as he fully faced her.

"Don't get caught up in this." Her frame went rigid at his growled out command, giving him the window of opportunity to walk out of her grasp and continue onward to the sacred tree. Her hand stayed in midair a moment in shock as she quietly muttered his name to herself, silently noting that he was trying to deal with this alone again. Her hand lowered to her side as she turned back to the villagers, all of whom had continued about their business like nothing had happened, like nothing was wrong with doing this to an innocent. Anger burned deep within her as she watched them carry on their lives like they were not to blame for the pain of rejection that Inuyasha was undoubtedly going through. Her gaze returned to Inuyasha's retreating figure, watching with tears streaming down her face as the shadows of the forest dragged him into their cold embrace.

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Why did this sound so much better in my head? Ah well. At least Kags gets to comfort Inu in the next chappie.

Kags: -huggles Inu plushie- it'll be okay, Inuyasha!

Inu: -sniffle-


	3. Comforting Acceptance

Thanks so much for all the positive feedback on the story so far! Here's the next chappie warning: if you're not a fan of uber fluff, you might not like this chapter so much.

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The walk of complete and utter shame that Inuyasha took as he made his way to the sacred tree was a rather familiar one, one he had been forced to walk as a pup when his mother's village turned on him after her death. The only real difference was that, unlike before, he wasn't chased out by the villagers as he blindly fled. Back then, he wasn't allowed contemplation on his exile until after he had been long gone. Now, he silently thought out the reasons why he was kicked out of the village.

He shook his head firmly. No, he wasn't going to dwell on it like some old pathetic man reminiscing about the past. He didn't need those damned people. He didn't need that damned village, either. His back went ramrod in defiance. He could live without them. He didn't need those weak human friends of his holding him down. He could keep telling himself that. He could lie to himself as much as he wanted, until the pain was dulled down to complete numbness. That way, he could go on. He could be cold, like his brother was to him for all these years, like the villagers of his old home had been to him when he was younger, the way Kikyo had been when she demanded that he become human, and the way that the villagers had been tonight. He could be that cold. He could be just cold enough to survive-

_"Please…promise me…"_

Mother…?

_"Promise me, my son…that you will never…let your kind heart…turn to stone."_

He cringed, his human hand reaching over to grip his heart as he neared the sacred tree. Those were his mother's dying words…and to think, as much as he loved her, he was thinking of shunning those desperate words? The very same way that he had been shunned so many times before? As he walked over the roots of the tree, he placed his clawed left hand on the trunk's smooth bark and bowed his head. I bitter smile made its way to his face as he contemplated the things he had just recently told himself.

"Heh…I was right," he said wryly as he leaned forward a bit, letting his human hand fall back to his side as his other arm supported the added weight. His eyes, despite their different appearance, clouded over with the same acknowledgement, "I _am…_a monster."

---

"Hmm…so, Naraku's miasma has formed a barrier within Inuyasha, thereby separating his demon and human blood," Kaede confirmed as she rested her mug of hot tea on her lap. Thin tendrils of steam rose out from the cup, clouding over Kaede's face as she pondered their current predicament. Sango and Miroku nodded their heads somberly before stealing a sideways glance at Kagome. The miko gave a small nod, keeping her gaze steadily on the slumbering Shippo and Kirara. Her eyes were still dulled over from the tears she had shed for Inuyasha's sake. Sensing her friends' watchful eyes, she ducked her head and pretended to be occupied with the pot of water over the lit fireplace.

"We were wondering if a simple purification would work," Miroku piped up, returning his gaze to the aged priestess before them. "If that were the case, either Kagome or I could just do it, and-"

"That won't work." All three of the others looked at Kagome in surprise when she suddenly spoke up. She turned her head to face them all with a disheartened look. "Think about it: Naraku imbedded a massive amount of miasma within Inuyasha, who is half demon. With those two factors in play at once, if anyone were to try to purify the miasma, there's a good chance that we would accidentally purify Inuyasha as well." Kaede mulled over the girl's theory before nodding her head in agreement.

"That is true enough, Kagome. I hadn't thought of that," Miroku commented before his gaze darkened in thought. "But more than likely, Naraku had thought as much."

"Yes, but if that's not going to work, what will…?" Sango pondered aloud as she reached over and stroked Kirara's soft beige fur. In response, the little two-tailed cat curled closer to Shippo in her sleep and began to quietly purr. Kagome reached over to the pot of water boiling over the fire to take it and pour the water into a ramen cup to sit for a few minutes. Kaede gave them what she hoped was a reassuring look.

"I will consult the records of Midoriko's studies to see if there is anything there that might help us. She was, after all, a high priestess, so she might have encountered a similar scenario, or at least, a weaker method of purification. In the meantime, the three of you should try and not worry about it," despite addressing all three teenagers when she spoke, they knew who she was really directing it to. After a few more silent minutes, Kagome stood with the ramen cup and a pair of chopsticks.

"I'll go take this to Inuyasha; he must be getting hungry by now," she said as she walked out into the night. Her friends watched her go silently. When the bamboo curtain swished back into place and she had already left, Sango and Miroku turned back to Kaede.

"Lady Kaede, I know that Kagome is concerned about Inuyasha, and I know that he is obviously distressed, but do you think it's wise that-"

"Leave them be, Miroku," Kaede cut him off gently. "It is apparent to us all that Inuyasha is longing for acceptance now more than ever. Who better for the task than Kagome?" Miroku and Sango smiled warmly and nodded their agreement eagerly.

---

Inuyasha's head snapped up when he felt Kagome's soothing aura approaching. He honestly didn't expect anyone to come anywhere near the tree after the incident in the village, let alone someone so closely affiliated with him. _'Then again,'_ he amended as watched from his seat amongst the great tree's roots as she made her approach. _'Kagome's not just anyone.'_ He lowered his head to hide his face with his bangs, not wanting her to see him like this. He didn't want her to see him looking so…hideous.

"Inuyasha," hearing her gentle call, he merely lowered his head even more, thankful for the darkness of the night to hide his ugly, uneven image. He heard her stop a moment, perhaps to regard him in this state, before the noise of her feet crunching the grass continued until he saw the tips of her brown shoes stop in front of his bare feet. She knelt slowly, so as not to startle him, as though he were as skittish as a deer. "Here, I thought you might be hungry, so I made you some ramen," she held it in front of him to coax him into taking it. He reached out and took it gently without even lifting his head. He muttered a quiet "thanks" before he swirled the noodles around with his chopsticks, guiding the noodles to his mouth and eating at an unusually slow pace. Noting how he refused to look her in the eye, or even so much as lift his head, she called him again, "Inuyasha?" There came no response at first, partially due to the waterfall of noodles streaming from the hanyou's mouth being quietly slurped, but mostly because he was afraid to find his voice. Once the cup of noodles was entirely empty, he continued to regard his lax sitting position, how his legs were only slightly bent and were spread apart wide enough for her to sit there if she wanted. _'Not that she'd want to be so close to me, anyway,'_ he thought sadly.

"What?" He finally acknowledged her previous calling of his name. She placed her hands in front of her and leaned in so she could lowered her head to try and see past his bangs, but he turned his head the other way, hiding his demon half from her sight. Her eyes dimmed in sadness at his own insecurity, his own fear of rejection, when he should know by now that she accepts him.

"Why won't you look at me?" She questioned him gently, her brows creasing sadly. He still didn't move from his position, his mismatched eyes glimmering somberly from under his bangs.

"I don't want you to see me like this," he struggled to regain control of his raspy voice after he had unintentionally slipped up, and firmly reminded himself that he didn't need anyone else's pity or condolence. She regarded him silently a moment, not saying anything, not really moving, just looking him over. His shoulders slouched even more as he sighed sadly, really not wanting to go through yet _another_ rejection in a single night. He really just wasn't up to it right now. He mentally braced himself for the hurt that was sure to come, the pain that would demolish his very reason for living-

-and then he felt her soft hands rest over both of his.

His head snapped up to hers in surprise, the fact registering too late in his mind for him to stop it from happening. He would have ducked back down, would have gruffly told her to get lost and that he didn't need company or something of the like, when she simply said, "don't turn away." That alone made him freeze over in shock. He suddenly found that he was easily obeying her request, as he couldn't seem to find it within himself to hide anymore. She smiled warmly at him again. "You're always going on about not running, and how you won't hide like a coward. Why would you change that now?" What she said was true; he hated the thought of retreating, loathed the idea of backing down from anything, and despised the mention of surrender or defeat. But, wasn't that what he was doing only moments ago? Was he that much of a hypocrite that he would betray the words that came from his very lips? Finding that his voice had decided to become suddenly dysfunctional, he merely nodded his head in agreement to her argument. Her smile widened as the sadness left her face.

"What are you doing out here, anyway? It's dangerous this late at night," he forced his voice into working properly enough to hoarsely whisper what needed to be said. Perhaps it still needed work, but it would suffice for the time being. She giggled quietly under her breath.

"Silly, I couldn't leave you out here by yourself," at first, her words were a riddle to him, until he noted his current state. He was still unused to the change in his body, the unbelievable instability in his strength proportions. If he were attacked as such, even by a lesser youkai, things could turn ugly rather quickly on his behalf. So, he grumbled inaudibly a bit but ultimately did not object to her staying with him, and tried not to smile when she offered to take him to her time until they figured out how to reverse what had happened to him. At first, he objected, but she pointed out that it would be much safer in her era than out in the middle of the woods, and surely more comfortable sleeping in a house than in a tree. And so, with an eventual nod of his head, they were heading to the well at a slightly slower pace than usual, mainly because Inuyasha was still getting used to his uneven body strength.

Once they had passed safely through the well, Kagome was the first to step out of the well house with the explanation that she needed to inform her mother that he was staying. However, at his request, she promised not to tell her of his current condition, although she assured him that she had never intended to in the first place. His heart warmed at the thought that he could trust her with something like that as she opened the sliding doors and popped her head in with the confirmation that her mother said it was fine for him to stay. He stumbled out of the well house with uncertain footfalls, and was grateful when Kagome wrapped a guiding arm around his waist for support.

Having miraculously maneuvered around Kagome's family (mainly because they were transfixed with watching a movie in a darkened room), the two friends were safely tucked away in her room. Inuyasha had seated himself comfortably on her bed as she quietly took a spot to his right. She let out a mental sigh of relief that it was summer vacation and, therefore, there was no need to study or do homework. She yawned quietly before leaning her head on his shoulder. He would have allowed himself to be relieved that she wasn't ignoring him, had he not taken her action as rejecting his demon half.

Kagome turned her head in his direction to say something, only to pause as she noted the apparent hurt in his violet eye. She was sure that, despite being a part of his demon half, that his red-blue eye held the same emotion within it. Concerned, she asked him what was wrong, and was certainly not convinced when he replied with a rather gruff, "it's nothing, so mind your own business." Simply not taking that as an answer, she turned on the bed to face him, tugging on his shoulder so that he would follow suit.

"Inuyasha, I know that look in your eyes; something's bothering you, so out with it," she urged him almost desperately. Seeing her distress from seeing him emotionally hurt, he mentally slapped himself for making her worry yet again. He suddenly found himself responding before he could stop himself, as if his heart had suddenly gained control of this pitiful form of his.

"You seem to really like my human half," he heard himself faintly mutter bitterly. Had Kagome not been so close to him, she might have just missed his comment, and he might have been allowed to wallow in self hatred a bit more. But he didn't _want_ to hurt, dammit! He just…he just…he wanted to be accepted…loved…

"I…" she cut herself off when she finally understood what he was saying. Her eyelids drooped slightly, knowing that she had unintentionally hurt him. She honestly hadn't even thought of which side of his body was human and which was demon, she just saw him as himself, and she therefore just viewed him as a whole. Her heart ached as he tried deluding himself with his own lies, as if to offer himself the comfort he could never allow himself to hope that he would receive from others.

"It's fine. I don't care. I don't need to be accepted, 'cause I can handle this on my own. I don't need nobody's pity. I don't-" his rambling was cut short when he felt her place a soft kiss on the center of his forehead. He sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes widened in shock…the shock that she had actually touched both sides of his being with one simple brush of the lips, the lips of one who was indifferent to which side she was near, as long as it was him. It was then, with that simple action, that he understood that he was accepted as a person –truly and unconditionally- by this one sole angel. And that was all that he needed to go on.

She pulled back from his forehead and rested her head into the left crook of his neck, lulling him into her gentle arms as she felt his tense muscles gradually soften at her touch. "Everyone needs to be accepted, Inuyasha," she whispered against the skin on his neck, which crawled pleasantly when it felt her breath against it. "You're no different, and neither am I, no matter what we say or try to convince ourselves otherwise. I don't view you as a demon, hanyou, or human; I view you as a person," She stroked his long locks of silver and black hair, absentmindedly blending some of the strands in the middle. "And what I see is an amazing, brave, wonderful person that needs to be comforted, now more than ever." His rigid shoulders slouched comfortably in her embrace. With an inaudible sigh of relief, he dug his head into her shoulder. His arms, acting on will alone, returned her embrace twofold before he even registered the fact. He suddenly felt warmer, safer, and more at home in her arms than he had felt since he was a pup, cradled in his mother's kimono.

"…You're right," he tightened his arms around her. "…Thank you…Kagome…"

'_Suddenly, I don't feel like such a monster anymore, and the pain is just a little bit more bearable.'_

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Ahh –sighs in content- I think that chappie went rather well, don't you? How about telling me in a review? Just press that pretty little button and do your part by telling me what you think about the story so far, okay? Love you all!


	4. Trust Me

Ahh, I love updating with a plot twist! There's just something satisfying about writing them that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

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Kagome yawned slightly as she cracked one eye open. Despite the silver streaks of moonlight that penetrated the darkness of the room, she had a difficult time getting her eyes to adjust to such a dark setting. Blinking back the shadows of the night, she suddenly realized that she was…very warm. At first, she was a bit confused, still trying to clear her drowsy mind from slumber, but when she felt Inuyasha's arms squeeze her tighter in his sleep, she smiled softly against the skin of his neck. She was going to have to come back to the feudal era without Inuyasha to see what Kaede found from Midoriko's records that could help him out of this mess. After all, what was the point of him coming when he couldn't enter the village? And besides, if he awoke, he wouldn't let her go without a fight, and she was just not in the mood for that. As much as she didn't want to leave him and have him think that she left for different reasons, she had to do everything she could to try and help him. So, as she slowly eased herself out of his arms and tenderly laid him on the mattress, she started to leave. After about two steps, she stopped, unable to resist the urge that had suddenly taken over her, she tiptoed back to him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He smiled shyly in his sleep but otherwise did not stir.

"I'll be back soon," she whispered gently into his pointed youkai ear before she set off to the well. In his unusually deep slumber, Inuyasha snuggled into Kagome's pillow a bit more, his lethargic senses thinking it was his wonderful miko instead.

---

"Kaede, did you find anything in those records?" Kagome asked quietly, as if se were afraid her voice would disturb the entire village if she spoke too loudly. Her aged mentor sighed softly as she pulled out a parchment scroll, yellowed and slightly torn with age. She unrolled it onto the floor and held back the corners to keep it from curling up again. Faded black brush strokes in the form of kanji, clearly made by someone with a swift, graceful hand filled the worn canvas of the scroll. She cleared her old, dry throat before reciting what she had found while Kagome was away.

"There is, in fact, a documented occurrence very similar to that which has befallen Inuyasha. In this record, Midoriko had come across a hanyou being tainted with miasma from a deep valley by Mount Hakurei. Seeing her, the hanyou sought her aid in ridding himself of the miasma that plagued him.

"Midoriko agreed, sensing that the hanyou was not evil, and set to work on ridding him of the miasma. When she searched his soul, she found that his spirit had been severed into four pieces by the miasma, each piece bearing the hanyou's greatest fears and desires. Only by quelling the fears that haunted the hanyou's severed soul fragments, did his spirit become one and repel the miasma from his body." Rolling up the scroll, Kaede tucked it safely back in the trunk it was kept in. "However, you are the only one who can do it; I have taught you all I know, but my powers are not as strong as yours are." Kagome nodded with a determined expression etched onto her face. Kaede closed her eyes and explained, "according to the scroll, the four parts to a half-demon's spiritual center are: the human counterpart, the demon counterpart, childhood innocence, and the heart. These four things combined form what maintains its spiritual core. When they are in disarray, or if a threat enters the body that deeply, the four quarters of the hanyou's soul are separated. In this case: Naraku's miasma." Kagome had a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that Inuyasha's soul was broken into four pieces, and how she was of any help with restoring them, but she nodded nonetheless.

"What do I need to do?"

"Naraku's miasma is probably making each quarter of his soul suffer through their own respective fears. You are undoubtedly his most trusted friend; therefore it is up to you to quell those fears and sooth his soul into forcing out the miasma that plagues it." The reincarnated miko nodded her head eagerly, thanking her mentor as she did so. She gave Kaede a quick goodbye and dashed off toward the well to explain things to Inuyasha, once he had awoken.

---

The hanyou's eyes fluttered open not too long after Kagome had left. He wasn't quite sure why, but he felt…cold…empty, even. Then he noted that Kagome was no longer in his arms, nor was he within the safety of hers. Realizing that she was no longer there, he sat up and frantically scanned the dark room for her, only to find shadows to welcome him. Still not able to hone his differentiated senses, he pinched his right nostril closed and sniffed for where Kagome's scent drifted to. It led out past the door, and…outside…?

She…left…?

So, everything she said, the warmth he felt in her arms…was all just a lie?

His head bowed sadly as he bit back the unfamiliar sting of tears in his human eye. She had abandoned him after all. He should have known. He flopped unceremoniously back onto her pillow and squeezed his eyes shut in an indignant scowl. To hell with her; he didn't need to be put through this. He tried falling back asleep, to try and dodge the misery for a little longer, but he still felt so damn cold! He never realized how safe, how warm he felt in Kagome's embrace than when he was left alone without her; he felt so exposed, like there was nothing left to protect him from the world. His body started to shudder automatically out of emptiness he knew would not be filled without Kagome.

His thoughts screeched to a sudden halt when he felt another, smaller mass apply its weight next to him, and felt something heavy fall upon his curled form. His eyes popped open to see Kagome tossing a soft fleece blanket over the two of them as she lowered herself onto the bed beside him. Seeing his wide, mixed eyes stare at her in shock, she jumped in surprise.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Inuyasha; did I wake you?" She asked in a soft whisper, tugging on the blanket to cover both of them up to their necks to keep them a bit warmer.

"You…I…where'd you go…?" He faintly whispered back, fear laced intricately within his words. Sensing his distress, her eyes softened.

"I went to Kaede's to see if she found out anything about what happened to you, and to see if she figured out a way to get you back to normal," she yawned before continuing, "and then I came back, and I saw you frowning and shivering, so I went and got a blanket for us." Touched that she was so concerned for him, enough to seek Kaede's help, and to give him warmth when he needed it, he snuggled close enough to wrap her in his arms, his only way of expressing his gratitude to her.

"What did she say?" There came to response from the girl in his arms. "Kagome…?" He brushed her silken tresses aside to see that she was already sound asleep. He smiled softly at her, mentally kicking himself for doubting her in the first place. He dug his face into her neck when he felt her hold him in her sleep, much like she had before she left. Now he felt safe, protected, much like when his mother had held him as a pup, sheltering him from the cruelty of the world. After a small struggle with his exhaustion, he finally let the temptation of sleep overpower him as he held Kagome tighter.

---

"Nnn," Kagome yawned sleepily, squeezing her eyes tighter against the thick streaks of sunlight that broke through her curtains. She rolled over so that when she opened her eyes, the light wouldn't be so hard on her sight. She blinked a moment to allow her sleep-induced eyes to better adjust before she sat up, stretching her arms over her head.

"You're awake," she jumped a bit in surprise at Inuyasha's voice, raspy from misuse, coming from behind her. She turned her head to him with a sleepy smile.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," she muttered, rubbing and eye lazily. She froze at his serious expression.

"What did Kaede say? You fell asleep before you could tell me," suddenly remembering that he must know his options for how they were going to go about this, she returned his serious gaze steadily.

"We have two options: one, I could try and purify the miasma within you, or two: I would have to search the shattered fragments of your soul to unite them again," she paused to see his reaction so far. His eyes, as unsymmetrical as they were, held the same urgency, the same fear, but of what, she did not know. "Personally, I'm not comfortable with purifying the miasma; after all, I could end up accidentally purifying you as well, perhaps to the point of…killing…" she shuddered at the harshly whispered word, as though it were a crime to so much as say it. "Do you trust me to heal your soul, Inuyasha?" She asked the hanyou softly, almost afraid of what his answer would be. He was very much aware of the soul fragments mentioned, thanks to his mother's knowledge of the subject from his father. He was, however, apprehensive about her seeing his heart for what it was, and what love it held toward her. But, he trusted her, nonetheless, despite of his worry to her reaction of that particular part of his soul. Then again, his entire soul was coveted for her alone, so who knew what she would find out; his soul couldn't lie, unlike him…

But he knew that there was simply no considering pushing her away. He didn't even need to think about it; he trusted her with his very life, soul included. And even if she found out about his feelings, he trusted her not to reject him as a friend entirely. So his answer rolled off his tongue smoothly, with no hesitation or regret,

"Of course I trust you."

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Figured I'd better give you a heads up; the next chapter is going to be uber long, uber fluffy, and uber descriptive/angst/comfort…I'm kinda throwing everything into this next chapter. Please leave me a review when you get the chance!


	5. The many sides of me

And so, the moment you've all been waiting for-!

…-cricket chirp-

…bastard crickets (j/k, j/k, lol!)

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Inuyasha sat on Kagome's bed anxiously that afternoon, waiting for her to finish getting herself ready for what was about to take place, and taking the time to prepare for it himself…mentally, anyway. She had explained what she needed to do in more detail to him a few hours before, so he knew what was going to happen once she began, and though he understood the process better now, he was still a bit concerned about what would happen once she started. His demon hand gripped Tetsusaiga a little tighter subconsciously, trying to calm his frayed nerves.

He faintly heard, thanks to his pointed youkai ear, Kagome emerging from the well house and entering the silent home (he mentally thanked the kamis that her mother and brother were out visiting grandpa in the hospital). After a few moments of hearing her feet pitter-patter up the stairs, she entered her room with a gentle smile on her dainty face.

"Are you ready, Inuyasha?" She asked him softly, taking a seat before him at the bottom of her bed. He nodded sullenly to take the time to mentally brace himself, but for what, he wasn't quite sure. She folded her legs underneath herself as she scooted closer until their knees touched. "Just relax," she soothed as she held his face in between her hands. She pressed her forehead comfortably against his, shutting her eyes to focus on his broken spirit. "Now, close your eyes, and clear your mind," he followed her airy command and let his suddenly heavy eyelids block his dulled vision. Warmth suffused through him when he felt her soul begin to connect with what was left of his…

---

After a few moments of blindly prodding and searching, Kagome eventually found what looked like the remains of a village after warfare, or perhaps a thief's raid. Houses were torn down and destroyed, smoke polluted the air in thick, steady streams from smoldering flames, splintered wood and ashes scattered thickly along the ground. The miko was a tad confused; why would she find such a thing within one of the fragments of Inuyasha's soul…?

Her attention was drawn to the crowd of people circling around their shared point of interest, but exactly what that was, was hidden among the tangle of faceless villagers. Angry cries and furious insults rose from the crowd in a jumbled mess of words no one could really understand, blending with the rest of the chaotic scene in a morbid union of rage and malice. She made her way toward the crowd, calling for their attention.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?" She hollered over the commotion of the crowd. Their shouts dwindled to inaudible mutterings as they turned to eye the new girl with a skeptical stare.

"It was that disgusting creature! That 'thing' killed our village priestess!" One of the adult males replied angrily as he sharply kicked the 'thing' in the center of the crowd, earning him a morbidly cheerful uproar from those around him. Kagome, though still thoroughly confused, followed the man's finger with her eyes until her gaze was met with a rather surprising sight.

A small, very young Inuyasha, no older than four, bloodied and battered, sat on the ashy earth floor with his knees tucked up to his chest. His head was buried into his lap and his arms were wrapped around his legs. His little ears were pressed against his skull in an attempt to bury themselves in his hair. Then it hit her: she was dealing with Inuyasha's childhood innocence, and it was being forced to relive his mother's death. This must have been his childhood fear: death, being alone. She walked toward the curled up, clearly shaken hanyou pup, slowly kneeling down to his level to get a better look at him. His fire rat haori and hakama were ripped and tattered, most likely a result from the combination of the attack on the village, and the angry response from the villagers. Blood splattered in random places along his person, and her eyes softened when she saw that his little shoulders were shaking with sobs as the villagers continued to verbally assault him relentlessly.

"It's all his fault!"

"He brought this havoc upon us!"

"He killed Lady Izayoi!" At the sound of his beloved mother's name, the young inu-hanyou shuddered painfully as he jerked his bloody and tear stained face up from his lap.

"No, I didn't, honest! Please, believe me!" He sobbed as he looked at Kagome in desperation, not knowing what he would do if they managed to turn this woman on him. Streams of tears cut through the blood and dirt on his face as it contorted into pain and anguish. Kagome reached a hand slowly to him, to offer him comfort. Thinking that she was going to strike him, he whimpered and ducked his head back into his lap, curling into a tighter ball.

"Shh…it's alright…" she began to tenderly pat the top of his head. He hesitantly lifted his gaze back to her, as if to be sure that she wasn't going to hurt him like the villagers had. "I'm here…you're alright now," she soothed as she gathered the trembling pup into her arms, ignoring the loud protests of the people around them.

"How dare you show benevolence to that insufferable beast?"

"She's as bad as that thing is!"

"All of you, please, that's enough!" She finally burst as she stood with the hanyou pup resting on her hip. "Leave him alone! You can't prove he's done anything!" She retorted as she pushed through the crowd.

"Who are you to order us to leave him be?" One of the men retorted.

"I am a priestess from another village," she felt the tiny child Inuyasha tense in her arms at the word 'priestess' and gently rubbed his back in reassurance that she meant him no harm while holding him closer. "He doesn't deserve to be treated like this, after what happened to his mother. You should be more concerned with taking care of the deceased, if you claim to cherish her as your village priestess so much." Not caring what any of those nameless bastards had to say, she turned and walked away. Inuyasha peeked over her shoulder at the people's glaring, hate-filled eyes. The sight was so terrifying to the child that he ducked his head back into her collarbone with a quiet whimper as his tiny arms wrapped around her neck in a hug.

After Kagome had walked a ways into what eventually faded into black obscurity and nothingness, she stopped and gingerly stood the young Inuyasha up and knelt before him to get a better look at his wounds. For the most part, they had already closed, so there was no need for any bandages of any kind (not that there was anything she could really use as bandages, anyway), but what bruises that were visible still held a rather menacingly dark blue-black hue to them. Not to mention, the blood on his person still upset her when she saw it.

"Umm, Miss Kagome," her head snapped up in surprise. She hadn't told him her name, so how did he know it…? Then again, this was a part of Inuyasha, so it was more than likely that he held all of Inuyasha's memories, along with the other three parts of his soul. Her eyes softened at the youth's manners, most likely picked up from what his mother taught him.

"We're friends, Inuyasha; you can just call me Kagome,"

"…Okay…"

"What was all that about back there?" She asked gently, almost regretting it the moment the words left her lips. His eyes darkened at the memory of all those hateful words thrown at him, the death of his mother, the exile from his own home...it was all so painful…but he was thankful for Kagome's comforting smile that had shortly followed her comment. "It's alright; you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." The pup shook his head fervently; he felt that she had a right to know.

"Mama and I were out playing in the fields by the village…she was teaching me Kamati ball," his wide, innocent eyes glistened over with fresh tears as he thought about what had transpired all those years ago, that he had been forced to relive in his nightmares ever since. Seeing his pain, she gently smoothed his hair back in a motherly way. With a gulp, he continued, "then, a group of demons came out of nowhere. Mama purified a few, but she got hurt when one of them hit her," he sniffed. "She ran up to me and picked me up and went back to the village, but the demons followed her there. The demons destroyed the entire village until they found my Mama and…and…" finally unable to swallow another sob, he broke down and cried in Kagome's arms. She didn't scold him for suddenly hugging her, as he had expected, only continued to pet his hair.

"Inuyasha…" she had never known the entire story of his mother's death. It was always a very touchy subject to her hanyou friend, and even Myoga refused to bring it up when Inuyasha was within earshot. Even when he wasn't, the flea would never tell of Izayoi's death, or her life for that matter. Now she understood why.

"She made me promise…to not become cruel and mean…those were her last words…" the young pup sniffled again, curling deeper into Kagome's arms. "I don't want to be cold hearted. I really don't! And I'm not! But…" he paused a moment, and the miko did not rush him, "I don't want to be left alone when those around me leave…I don't want to be alone again!" She had been right: his childhood innocence was afraid of solitude. She gingerly eased out of the child's grasp to look him in the eyes.

"You're not alone, Inuyasha," she whispered, continuing her ministrations to his hair. "You have friends that are willing to stay by your side through thick and thin, so long as you are willing to do the same. I am one of those friends. I promised to never leave you; that much will not change," she noticed his trembling gradually dieing down, and she drew a breath of relief from that. She stopped stroking his hair and simply smiled at him. He smiled back before he scrubbed his tears away with his sleeve.

"Okay, Kagome, but I'm gonna hold you to that promise!" His youthful eyes lit up in happiness, glad that his fears could at long last be put to rest. With one last reassuring smile and her vow that she would not break her promise, Kagome stood and straightened herself.

"Well, I have to get going; there's more than one of you I have to take care of, you know," she ruffled his silver bangs playfully. He huffed whilst trying to readjust his bangs from the mess she had made them.

"Aww, d'ya hafta go already, Kagome?" The little pup pouted as his little ears drooped. Kagome chuckled under her breath at his puppy dog face. It reminded her of when she used to have arguments with Sota back home. Seeing his sadness, she reached up and untied the red sash on her school top.

"Here," she took his arm and tied the cloth around his wrist with a snug knot. "This is so I keep my promise." He wasn't too happy about her going, but nodded reluctantly. His eyes lit up again with a sudden excitement when a thought struck him.

"Well…alright, but you should play Kamati Ball or something with Inuyasha once in a while! As much as he won't admit it, he really likes to play games like that!" The little pup giddily informed her once she had stood back up.

"He does? I'll be sure to do that," she assured him before she turned to walk away. As the little embodiment of childhood innocence faded from her sight, she saw him wave enthusiastically, finally able to be a normal kid for a change. Inuyasha's wide, childish smile made her giggle as she waved back her goodbye.

---

It was rather odd, walking around in nothingness; Kagome was never quite sure if she was getting anywhere, not seeing anything but complete blackness. It must have come from Naraku's miasma, having put so much distance between each part of Inuyasha's soul. She could only focus on the high level of spiritual pressure that she seemed to be getting closer to.

She gasped when she saw a blur of red in the distance ahead of her. Not seeing any trace of silver hair or dog ears, she realized, she was looking at Inuyasha's human counterpart, though he had his back to her. She continued to approach him, but he still had failed to notice her presence. It was rather odd; she had never noticed how dark his hair was when he was human until she could barely tell where his hair ended and the black space around them began. She reached a hand to his shoulder when she was close enough.

"Hey there," she greeted happily under her breath, and he jumped in surprise, spinning around to face her. She offered him a welcoming smile, and he relaxed, knowing that it was her. He gave a sad smile toward her in return.

"Kagome," sensing something was bothering his human counterpart, her thin eyebrows came together in a worried frown. The hand she had rested on his shoulder rose to brush his cheek with its fingertips, as if the gesture would determine what the cause of his distress was. The pain in his eyes doubled at the contact as he placed his hand over the one she had on his cheek. His eyes trembled with an unreadable emotion as he said her name again, though she distinctly heard the catch in his voice, as though he were struggling to keep something inside, keep something he wanted to say a secret. He pushed her hand closer to his cheek so that her palm lay flat against it, almost scrubbing it as he reveled in her touch.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" He lowered his head slightly, though still firmly held her hand to his face. His clouded, violet eyes dulled to nearly match the black of his pupils, almost as if they were unseeing.

"I can't defend myself."

"…What…?"

"I can't _defend_ myself," he repeated squeezing his eyes shut in an angry scowl. "I'm not strong enough! I don't have the capability to protect myself! Even when there weren't any demons in the area, a simple rogue samurai with a good enough sense to kill could finish me off! Worse yet, I can't protect _you_! If you get hurt, or…killed…when Inuyasha takes my form, he'll never be able to live with himself, and neither will I! I'm just so…inadequate…as this damned form," he finished with a sad frown as he opened his eyes to look back at her. So, she thought, that was his fear: death. "And that scares me. I'm not nearly half as powerful as I am when I'm a half-demon. I…we could all be killed off so easily…so quickly…" his face maintained its broken expression as he stared dejectedly at the floor, finally letting his hand fall back to his side. He felt her hand on his cheek slip away, and his cringe darkened, though he made it a point not to open his eyes or lift his head.

So it was, of course, a shock when he felt her kiss his cheek affectionately.

His eyes opened in surprise, though he still had not lifted his head. What was going on? Why did she do that? Wasn't she listening to a word he just said? Despite being a fourth of Inuyasha's soul, the human counterpart found even he could not find an answer to a single question that he had asked himself. "Kagome…?" His words died on his tongue, silently asking her to explain herself. She giggled softly under her breath.

"Silly," she gently berated him. "You're not the only one that protects us." His thick brows furrowed in confusion. Who else was…? "We're all a family! We protect each _other_! We watch each other's backs, you baka! That's why, when you're a human, it's so nice not to be alone, that way, you won't have to be on guard so much!" She explained fervently to the human boy. Touched, but not entirely convinced with her speech, he countered dully,

"That's nice and all, but what if you all were overwhelmed? What if there was nothing that I could do if you guys were in trouble? What if-" to stop his rambling, Kagome placed a finger to his lips gingerly.

"Inuyasha trusted us enough to let us see you, his human self, so why don't you trust us to keep you safe when you need us? That's what friends do, especially friends that stick as close as we do!" He gasped quietly against the finger pressed to his lips. She was right; when his soul had been complete, Inuyasha had entrusted each one of his friends with the secret of his human night, and had not doubted them, even when he was on the verge of death from poison, he still trusted Kagome to stay with him, and she had, unquestioningly. Still, though, there was doubt.

"But…I…" she regarded his troubled face for a moment before registering the emotion in his eyes.

"You're still afraid," although it was a mere statement, he found himself nodding in answer to it. She smiled and removed her finger from his lips. "That's to be expected, Inuyasha. We all have our own respective fears, and conquering them is not an easy task by any means," she reached up to hold his face between her hands to force him into maintaining eye contact with her as she spoke. "But you need to trust me when I say that everything will be alright in the end. Can you do that?" The pain in his eyes faded to the point of near nonexistence at the thought.

"Do you even need to ask? Of course I trust you, Kagome," he softly replied, and she knew by seeing the sincerity in his eyes that what he said was true. His fears were not entirely conquered, but they were soothed enough so that he could trust her to heal them over time, and that was all that the human teenage boy needed to keep going. "Thank you," he muttered, returning her earlier gesture and brushing his lips across her cheek. She blushed but smiled warmly at him.

"I have a question to ask, before I go," she confessed. He inclined his head to show he was listening. "When Inuyasha takes your form, and becomes a human, why is he so moody? Why has he been so insistent on not coming into contact with me when it's not necessary? It's been like this ever since the spider head incident," The human sighed deeply before he replied with a confession of his own,

"It's those nights that he longs for you to comfort him most, but despite me trying to get it through his head that the way he acts will not get him anywhere, he refuses to listen to any of us anymore…not that he did much to begin with," she nodded her understanding. Of course he would be moody; constantly fighting growing or intense emotions does tend to wear one's patience rather thin. She was speaking from experience.

"I'll remember that, for the next time I see you," she promised him happily, and he knew that she was sincere in her vow. He smiled his gratitude to her, unable to express it simply with words. "But now I have to go; there are still two more pieces of Inuyasha's soul that I have to at least try to help," the disappointment was obvious in his expression at the thought of her leaving, but he understood, and was ultimately grateful for her help.

"I understand...thank you, for all that you're doing for Inuyasha; you'll never know how much it truly means to him," touched beyond words, Kagome found that she could only smile and accept his thanks as she continued on. After a few steps, she stopped and turned to look back at Inuyasha's human form, surprised to see that her gaze was met with his, though he only looked over his shoulder. He gave her a soft smile before walking in the opposite direction and out of sight, and soon, she started on her own way again.

---

Honestly, she really wasn't sure if she was covering any ground, other than the fact that she could no longer see Inuyasha's human counterpart behind her whenever she turned to look back. So, she trudged on ahead, sensing an oddly dark, albeit powerful essence ahead, not uncommon to demonic aura. So, she figured she was nearing Inuyasha's demon counterpart.

Sure enough, she soon found herself a few feet away from demon Inuyasha. He had, thanks to his strong senses, foresaw her approach, and was now staring her down with an almost unreadable expression in his eyes. His face remained disturbingly stoic, nearly matching that of Sesshomaru in coldness. She stepped toward him, unafraid, though still alert. "Hello Inuyasha," she greeted warmly, though in a quiet manner as she took another step closer to him. When her voice reached his pointed youkai ears, his eyes warmed considerably, as though he just registered that she was so close. He gave a short nod back, signifying that he had heard her.

"Hello…Kagome," he almost hesitantly responded, though she noted that he seemed…fidgety, as if he though she was going to hurt him. She frowned in thought. Why would he, the demon within Inuyasha of all things, be afraid of getting hurt? That couldn't have been his fear; though Inuyasha had regained control of his demon self, it had always been the more particularly careless one in battle, never minding how hurt he was.

"What's wrong?" She asked gently, not knowing how else to ask him what she could help him with. He turned his head slightly away from her in hesitancy, but his sharp red-blue eyes never once left her, as if he were trying to calculate her next move, and how to avoid it. It seemed as though he suddenly lost all trust in his companion and thought she was going to try to end his life. He still had yet to answer her question, choosing to instead monitor her every movement silently. His fingers, sporting elongated, razor-sharp claws, twitched in spontaneous spasms, as though he were ready to defend himself, should the need arise. "Inuyasha, what's gotten into you?" Kagome asked, her voice tightening in concern.

To say that the demon before her was on his guard was an understatement; despite being well controlled most of the time nowadays, he seemed on edge, like he would rip something apart at any second. That look of guarded emotions, the carefully concealed, cold, and calculating expression in his eyes was nearly identical to the look he had regarded her with when he was first released from the sacred tree, and it unnerved Kagome greatly to think that he could be so cold after all that they had been through together. "What do you mean 'what's gotten into me?'" The demon growled out curtly, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly.

"Why are you acting so…distant...?"

"I'm not acting distant; I'm acting like I always act-"

"No, you're not!" Her outburst startled him. When had she gotten so bold? Or had he not noticed it before…? "You haven't been this cold since I first pulled the arrow out of your chest! You haven't been this distant since we first started looking for the sacred jewel shards! What's _wrong_ with you?" She finally snapped in frustration, nearly missing the surprised look she received from Inuyasha's demon counterpart. His shocked expression clouded over, and he again averted her gaze.

"Why should I tell you? I can't just go around telling everyone my problems. I'm not like you," he replied tersely, shooting her a sideways, albeit meaningful glare. She was about to retort in defense, when she suddenly deciphered the hidden meaning within his words. He had –perhaps- unknowingly told her what was wrong: he couldn't trust anyone! That was what he was afraid of! Her expression softened, and she stated in a flat tone,

"You're afraid to trust those around you," judging by how his frame went stiff at her comment, she struck a raw nerve within him.

"What of it?" He spat, not seeing Kagome's eyes darken over in sadness.

"After all we've been through, you still don't trust me-"

"You think I _want_ to be like this?" His tone had suddenly softened, and his voice lowered. Kagome was startled at his question, unable to answer. Not caring that he didn't get a reply, the demon continued, his voice growing in volume with every word that passed his lips, "do you think I _want_ to go around not trusting those around me? Do you think that I don't want to trust you? I do, dammit! I _do_ trust you! It's just-" realizing the emotions that he was portraying, he composed himself before continuing, "keh, the last time I trusted someone…_anyone_ for that matter, was when mother was still alive."

"What about Kikyo-?" She barely managed to finish her question before Inuyasha's demon counterpart belted out a loud snarl.

"What- trust that conniving, back-stabbing, two-faced wench that dares to call herself a priestess?" He demanded angrily, his clawed hands balling into fists at his sides in rage. Saying Kagome was shocked didn't come near words describing how she had felt in response to his outburst. Never had she expected anything like that about Kikyo to come from any part of Inuyasha at all!

"What makes you say that? You're a part of Inuyasha, and he loves her!" As much as it pained her to say it, it was indeed true; despite having died in his arms, it seemed that he still harbored a deep love for the dead priestess. But now, for the first time since knowing Inuyasha, Kagome was now questioning that with the look that Inuyasha's demon personification was giving her.

"No, his _human_ counterpart _did_ love her, or rather, the idea of acceptance. But I saw through that damn façade she had put up; she wanted me dead."

"But she-"

"She loved Inuyasha as a human. That didn't include his demon blood." Ahh, that explained it; Kikyo loathed his demon blood, as she had been raised to, so of course his demon counterpart would hate her, for shunning him like that. "Hell, she tried purifying me out of Inuyasha herself on more than one occasion when he was asleep," he muttered. When Kagome nodded her head to show that she was listening, the demon continued, "it was always during one of those rare moments when he actually slept back then; he thought he could trust Kikyo to not kill him at the time," his hands clenched tighter. "He was asleep under one of the trees by the village, when she came. She did the very same thing you're doing now; she searched his soul, only back then, her intent was to purify me so he could be human for her. But thankfully, he awoke, and she pulled the 'I sensed a growing disturbance within you and I investigated it' shit she does, and he bought it, no matter what I said." He growled at the memory, remembering how Inuyasha would never once listen to any of the demon's warnings of the priestess.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome was utterly speechless. She had never known that…that…any of this was…she couldn't even find the words to describe what she had been told. Not only had Kikyo tried to betray Inuyasha's demon blood of her own free will, but his demon counterpart did not in fact love the miko at any point in time, and according to the demon, his human opposite no longer loved her either. She stepped hesitantly toward the glowering demon before her, and when he made no move to get away from her, she took another, and another, until she was close enough to reach up and lightly trace one of the jagged purple crests on his cheek.

He was stunned out of his enraged thoughts when she started tracing his demon marking. Her fingers were so feathery light on his skin, like she was raining little butterfly kisses all along the side of his face. He let his eyelids droop slightly, his senses drunk on her scent and her calming aura. "Inuyasha, you should know by now that I'm not Kikyo."

"…I know…" he sighed quietly under his breath in disappointment when she pulled her fingertips away. "I never said you were; I just mean that it's hard to trust anyone after what happened, that's all," he explained. His body jerked back in surprise when she hugged him gently around the shoulders.

"I can't make you trust anyone," she whispered into his neck. "All I can do is hope that in time, you can find it within you to open yourself to your friends. But either way, I won't leave you; I won't break my promise," his eyes softened before they were eclipsed under his heavy lids. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her by the waist and the back of her head.

"But…I do trust you…" he whispered into her ear, sending shivers crawling along her spine pleasantly. "As reluctant as I was to do so, I trust you more than I even trusted mother…as does Inuyasha," his clawed fingers gripped a bit of her hair loosely to hold her closer, though not tight enough to hurt her. "And if I'm being completely honest, I might as well tell you that…I consider you mine."

"Yours…?" She pressed, unsure of what that meant to demons. His arm tightened around her waist, and he pressed his face further into her hair.

"You're the only one I've ever been able to trust, to care for, and to-" she felt him shake his head against her hair after a slight pause. "It's not really my place to say."

"To say what, Inuyasha?" She pressed further, and he couldn't help but chuckle at her curiosity, one of the many traits of hers that Inuyasha as a whole had always found adorable.

"You've given me enough hope that I can start to trust those close to me. My fears are at ease, as are two other pieces of Inuyasha's soul, thanks to you. However," He loosened his hold on her so that he could make eye contact with her as he continued, "there is still one more that you must heal, one that is much more broken than any of the rest of us." He completely relinquished his hold on her and stepped away from her slowly, and very much regretfully. "So go, Kagome, and don't forget what I said," he whispered loud enough for her to barely hear. She nodded her head hesitantly and walked away, willing herself not to look back.

---

The sound of quiet, muffled sobs could be faintly heard shattering the dead silence around Kagome as she looked for the final piece of his soul. Hearing them, she couldn't help but wonder if that was the embodiment of Inuyasha's heart crying like that. The words of Inuyasha's demon counterpart still rang in her ears as she prodded her way through the black abyss. _"There is still one more that you must heal, one that is much more broken than any of the rest of us."_ What could that mean? There was still his heart to heal, that much she understood, but what about the whole being more broken than the rest? Then again…she was dealing with his heart, the one that, after the incident with Kikyo fifty years ago, Inuyasha had neglected the longest and the most, so of course it would be hurting…

It was, of course, a surprise to see what looked like Inuyasha's hanyou form, dog ears and all, kneeling on the floor. "Inuyasha?" She gently called to him as she stopped in front of him and lowered to his level. He lifted his head to see who addressed him, and her heart broke at the tears that fell from his amber eyes. It wasn't a sort of uncontrollable sobbing like she had seen with his childhood innocence, but rather, it was a softer, more painful crying, and it was being admirably held in check; though the tears followed each other in a steady flow, they were hesitant to fall from the eyes that had created them. But it seemed as though he had been doing this a long time, without stopping.

His eyes, dulled from centuries of crying, looked her over wearily, his tired, hurt face still streaked in the tears that had descended from his eyes without mercy throughout the lonely years. "K-Ka…" his voice, raspy from misuse, died off in hesitancy before he could finish her name. A worried frown creased her brow as she reached a hand slowly to him, silently asking what was wrong, and offering him comfort against whatever plagued him. He shied away from her hand as though it would burn him if it came into contact with his skin. "Kagome…" finally able to say her name, his face clouded over in a cringe when she managed to brush her fingertips over one of the streaks of tears he had left on his face. She could feel the otherwise unnoticeable tremor in his body from crying, and her determination to find out what was wrong only intensified.

"Please tell me what's wrong; I can't help if I don't know," she whispered, her hand now curved to hold his cheek within her palm. One of his tears slipped over the space between her thumb and her pointer finger, though she ignored it for now, wanting to know how she could stop those tears from ever coming back. His eyes darkened to the point where Kagome had a hard time seeing any of the warming amber in his irises that she so loved about him. His fang worried his bottom lip, almost to the point of breaking through skin as he tried to keep everything inside, as he had always done. However, he was only the heart of Inuyasha; he had no will to hide anything, unlike Inuyasha himself, who made it a point to hide everything about himself whenever it was possible. So, he resigned himself to what he was certain was his own demise, once she rejected him.

"I…" he struggled with the words, not sure how to explain what was going on within him. He was thankful for Kagome's adamant patience with him, as she had yet to push him into explaining. "I'm an outcast," he finally managed to choke out, bowing his head, hiding his gaze from Kagome as he spoke, "I can never be accepted as a half-breed. The only acceptance I could find was with mother. Since her death…my tears have not ceased, nor have peoples' hatred for my kind." His words cut deeply into her, at last understanding what was hurting him so; he felt unaccepted as a hanyou in this society, and how could she blame him? So many places they've gone, he was shunned or treated harshly by people, and he grew up with much worse conditions, and even his own half brother hated him for what he was, and that it was his father that helped in creating Inuyasha. And even Kikyo, his first love, wanted him human. It was no wonder he was hurting so much inside.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, bringing him into her arms gently. He gasped when she rested her head atop his and she started to gently rub his ear, one of the very appendages that marked him as a monster in the public's eyes. He never thought it would feel so…amazingly nice. Whenever his ears had been touched before, they were pulled, tugged, jerked, pinched, and batted; the gestures were meant to only hurt him more. But her ministrations made him feel…whole, even happy…content. He nuzzled the side of his face into her chest a little, whimpering softly into the fabric of her shirt before he latched his arms around her thin waist. "Don't you understand? You are accepted. Granted, not everyone in the world will accept you, and you will have to face quite a few people who won't like what you are, but…" she kissed his hair softly before she continued, "you have friends that accept you, myself included, a mother and father that are watching over you, and a home among your friends- your surrogate family. Just remember that, okay?" She felt him nod against her chest hesitantly, but something seemed to be missing, like there was something still worrying Inuyasha's heart.

"This…is one of the reasons why Inuyasha loves you," she sucked in a quick, inaudible breath, stunned at what he had just said.

"Wh-what-?" She breathed, her lithe, thin frame going rigid in shock. The personification of Inuyasha's heart stiffened in her arms, shying away from her, thinking he had said something horribly wrong.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to offend you…but it's the truth," he muttered quickly, stumbling for an explanation so she wouldn't hate him; he was tired of being broken. However, all thoughts of the afore mentioned occurrence flew out the window when Kagome wrapped her arms around him once more, this time her face pressed into his shoulder. Surprised, but happy that she was once more in his arms, he embraced her in return. "Kagome?" He hesitantly asked after a moment.

"I feel the same way," she whispered, pulling back to look him in the eye. All he saw was honesty, acceptance, and love within her coffee brown eyes. He smiled his relief, pressing his forehead comfortably against hers.

"I'm glad," and for the first time in centuries, his tears had stopped. Fully and irreversibly, they had faded into the blackness, never to return so long as this wonderful woman was in Inuyasha's arms. "You've healed him, Kagome…you've healed all of us," she only smiled in response and closed her eyes…

---

The transition between the realm of Inuyasha's soul and reality was a smooth one; when she opened her eyes, her forehead was still resting against Inuyasha's, though he was unconscious, unresponsive to her gentle call. Though his appearance was still split, she could already see a few subtle changes suggesting the restoration of his original form; his demon marking was gone from his left cheek, and his claws, upon inspection, were now evened out, neither hand of them longer than the other. They might be the only differences that she could see now, but that was mainly because the miasma was still within his body. Once that was forced out, he would be back to his old self.

She pulled her head away from his, placing her hands on his shoulders to stop him from falling forward, and eased him back down on the bed. After straightening his legs so he would be more comfortable, she looked out the window, surprised to see that the sun was no longer present, and the darkness of night had blanketed the sky. Had that much time passed?

Her attention returned to Inuyasha's slumbering form when she heard his breath become wheezes and gasps for air, a sign that the miasma would soon start to leave his body. And she knew that it would be a long night…for both of them.

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Eleven pages of Microsoft Word later, and we have chapter five, but IT'S NOT THE END!!! Because 1) Inu still needs to get the miasma out of his system and 2) Kagome still needs to confront Inu with everything she learned while healing his soul, so stick around, alright? Reviews would be greatly appreciated (I feel kinda down lately sob)

Oh, and to explain a few things: no, I was not Kikyo bashing; Inuyasha's demon half was the half she wanted out of the picture, so I figured that his demon blood wouldn't be too happy about that, that's all. And yeah, there were a lot of different characteristics I had for Inuyasha, but his soul was split into four pieces, so I had to differentiate them all based on what I figure his biggest fears are. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed!


	6. I love you

I'm back everyone! Oh, and thanks for the hug, KyosBeads! It made me feel all better! Ahem, anyway, onto the chapter update!

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The look on Inuyasha's face as he fitfully slept tore at Kagome's heart as she watched over him, her soft eyes never leaving his tensed, unconscious form. So far, the miasma had yet to leave his system, but with every strangled moan and gasp for air, she knew, it was that much closer to being freed from his body. She reached a delicate hand over and touched his forehead with the back of it. He was running a high fever. She withdrew her hand and stood to get a bowl of ice water and a cloth from the downstairs kitchen, hastily stealing her way back up the steps and into her room once the task was done.

She dipped the cloth into the water, letting it sink to the bottom as it grew heavy from absorbing the cold liquid. Wringing it out, she went to place it on his head, but stopped a moment when she saw tiny beads of sweat begin to slide sluggishly down his face. She frowned worriedly; his fever was getting worse. She gently dabbed the trickles of perspiration away before she dunked the cloth and wrung it out again, folding it neatly and simply laying it on his forehead. When she noticed his face was still flushed from the fever, she pressed on the cloth slightly so he would feel the cool water a little better. Removing her hand from the cloth after a few moments, she started to pet his hair gently in an attempt to try and soothe him as he slept out the fever.

---

Never had he felt more internal pain in his life (emotional, perhaps, but not physical) than when he lie there on Kagome's bed, his breath shallow and raspy as he quietly gasped for air. His entire body pulsed with heat, so much that he began to feel beads of sweat trickle down his face, and under his clothes. Granted, he was unconscious, but his senses, though considerably dulled, still worked enough for him to know what his body was feeling, but that was about their extent for the time being. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, or why this was happening, but he just wanted it to stop…

The perspiration that cascaded down the sun-kissed canvas of his face was suddenly being gingerly dabbed off by something soft and cool. His sense of smell, as weak as it was in his current state, still picked up Kagome's soft scent enveloping him. Then he felt the cold object rest on his forehead, and Kagome's hand start to pet the top of his head, smoothing over his black and silver hair gently. His eyelids refused his command to lift and allow him the liberty of sight, no matter how much he struggled with them. Oh how badly he wanted to open his eyes and see her! As tired and hurt as he was, he just needed to look into her eyes to know that he would be alright, to see her smile and be reassured that it would work out in the end, that she was really here with him, and not some delusion he was giving himself.

---

Her hand stilled in its ministrations to his hair when his pained face cringed darkly, and his entire body went stiff, as if in anticipation of something. Suddenly, he began to cough roughly, the action sending spasms through his upper torso from the power behind them. Her worries spiked astronomically when his coughs made him protrude blood from his mouth. In a panic, she slowly sat him up so he wouldn't choke on the crimson life source he was now coughing out. The cloth on his head plopped unceremoniously onto his lap, but she grabbed it and brought it up to his mouth to catch the blood. His coughing bout sent his shoulders racking in pain, his cringe seemingly chiseled into his face as he gripped his stomach. All Kagome could do was continue to hold the cloth to his lips and rub his back as his entire body convulsed in agony.

Eventually, his coughs died down to wild pants and gasps, allowing her to pull the cloth away from him. But she still kept him sitting upright and leaning his back against the headboard of her bed, lest he start coughing again. "Oh Inuyasha," she whispered, still rubbing his back slowly. She gave a yelp of pain when the hand that was holding the cloth started to burn. Alarmed, she dropped the cloth to inspect her hand, shocked to find that there was a thick, sticky purple substance bubbling lazily on her skin. "Naraku's miasma-!" It was indeed true; the cloth had a burnt hole where it caught Inuyasha's blood as he coughed it up, and now her hand was getting the same treatment. To her credit, she was intelligent enough to rush to the bathroom and run cold water on the spot so that the miasma would not further damage her hand.

Thankfully, the damage was minimal; a simple burn in the center of her palm. Evidently, Inuyasha's blood had dulled the power of the miasma, hence why it took so long to burn through the cloth and get to her hand. So, she hastily wrapped her palm in a bandage and went back to her room to watch over Inuyasha. Not surprisingly, his appearance started to change back even more, now that some of the miasma was out of his body; his human ear was now pointed like a youkai ear, matching the one on his left, and there was now more silver hair on his head than black, if only by a little bit more. The cringe on his face wasn't as dark, but was still ultimately present as she watched over him. She sat next to him on her bed, observing his strangled breathing as he sat.

"Nnn," he moaned, lifting his groggy head. His eyelids lifted lazily, revealing the adorable honey amber orbs Kagome loved so much. He lifted his head a little more to level with Kagome's, watching her with barely open eyes. His lips parted and moved slightly, but no intelligible noise escaped them, as if he were struggling with even simple speech. "Ka-" he managed to breathe, though he knew that he didn't have much energy to even talk, but…he needed to know if what she had told him back there…if it was…was…

She placed her finger to his lips, gently lulling him into silence. Confused (and somewhat hurt by the action,) he regarded her silently, as if begging her to explain. "I know that there's a lot we have to talk about," she smiled softly, her comforting gaze never faltering as she continued, "but we'll talk about all that when you're feeling better, alright? So just rest for now," He sealed his lips together and gave a minuscule nod. She lowered her finger from his lips, but he managed to grasp her wrist, gently tugging it closer for inspection. At first, she wasn't sure why, but she realized that he was looking at the bandage she had used to nurse the burn that the miasma had given her. His eyes returned to her face, asking her what had happened. "You coughed up some blood and miasma. I cleaned it with a cloth, but the miasma burned through it and got to my hand," seeing his eyes darken in guilt, she curled into his chest, resting her head against his neck. "It's not that bad, and besides- it means you're healing, so I'm glad." He nuzzled her neck with his nose and gave off a content growl before he started coughing again. Pulling away from him, she simply held out the bowl of water to catch the blood and miasma that once again spilled from his lips.

Luckily, the water took care of the diluted miasma without damaging the bowl, so there was no need to explain why there was a disfigured bowl in their cabinet to her mother later on. Not only that, but even more of his silver locks had replaced his black ones, like a blazing light overpowering the darkness. Not only that, but his dog ears were now firmly perched atop his head, relaxed against his skull as he continued to recuperate his strength. Kagome drew a breath of relief from those observations, glad that his soul was getting rid of the miasma so quickly; as much as it was hurting Inuyasha, the sooner it was over, the sooner he could rest.

She began to rise from her seat so that she could get more water for the next wave of his coughs, when he reached over and gripped the hem of her shirt loosely with his pointer, middle, and ring fingers. She looked at him quizzically, unsure of why he stopped her. But the look in his hardly open eyes told her what he could not in words; they cried out the plea, _"please, don't leave me…please don't go…"_ her expression softened and she gently explained,

"I'll be right back; I'm just getting more water in this bowl for when you start coughing again," his tired eyes closed again in relief, and his claws released her from their limp hold. Once she had returned from the bathroom with a full bowl of clean water, she sat back down next to him again. His dulled senses didn't seem to be able to know when she was there, so she lightly touched his hand with hers, the contact just enough to make him open his eyes a sliver of the way and look at the person who came into contact with him. His eyes closed slightly again so that his long lashes cloaked much of his beautiful eye color from her view. His breath, escaping from his slightly parted lips, grew considerably calmer when he saw that she had returned. The corners of his lips tugged upward in a shadow of a smile, until he was sent into another coughing spasm.

Being as calm as she could, she placed a hand on the middle of his back and silently held the bowl out to him while he rid himself of the miasma. But it seemed as though this was to be the final release of miasma. It was the worst coughing fit he'd had that night, and a steady stream of what looked like more miasma than blood spewed from his mouth into the bowl. With every drop of the thick purple substance that fell from his lips, she noticed, his silver hair steadily returned until all but the tips of his thick mane of hair was back to its original hue. Finally his coughing ceased and he was left to continue his raspy breathing. "The miasma's mostly gone, Inuyasha," she quietly exclaimed, happy that his pain would soon be over; granted, he would most likely have to sweat out the last of it, but ultimately he was back to normal, minus the black tips in his hair. He nodded tiredly.

Once she dumped the water out the window and cleaned the bowl thoroughly, Kagome came back with a bottle of water for Inuyasha to wash out whatever miasma and blood was left in his mouth. She wordlessly offered him the plastic bottle, and he took it gratefully, swishing out the water and spitting it out in the trash can next to the bed. Once he had finished drinking what was left of the water and disposed of the bottle, he turned his head in her direction slightly, his weary eyes gazing into hers. "Lie back down, Inuyasha, please. You need to rest; there's still a little miasma inside you, and you're fever hasn't gone down a bit!" She chided him softly, coaxing him into lying on the bed once he scooted back a bit from his sitting position. When she started to rise from lowering him onto the bed, he caught her sleeve.

Shocked by the action, she almost missed his soft demand of, "stay here." Not wanting to upset him, and wanting--_needing_ to be next to him and to comfort him, she silently snuggled up to him when he turned on his side to face her. He draped an arm lazily over her once she covered them with the same fleece blanket she had used before, and she in turn leaned into his chest a bit more.

…

…

To be honest, she wasn't quite sure when she fell asleep, or for how long she was out, until she heard Inuyasha's muffled whimpers and cries of pain. Alarmed, she opened her eyes to see him with his lips drawn taut as he tried keeping his outbursts quiet, his eyes squinting in apparent pain. Seeing her awake, he lowered his head slightly, ashamed she awoke to find him in such a vulnerable state. "Kagome," he mumbled lethargically, his body curling against hers into a tighter ball.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha? What hurts?" She asked in a soft mutter. He closed his eyes and cringed again.

"…It's nothing that- ah-!" He hissed in pain as his cringe darkened. Not knowing how to help him, she settled for holding him close and petting his hair.

"Tell me, Inuyasha," she ordered gently whilst continuing to stroke his black-tipped locks. He returned her embrace and nuzzled his face into her neck.

"…It hurts…" he reluctantly admitted, nudging her neck with his nose. He was well aware that he wasn't acting like himself, admitting he was in pain like this, but he really could care less when he was feeling this miserable. She removed her hand from his hair and started to rub his back slowly, hoping it would comfort him at least a little.

"Where does it hurt?" She pressed, though his only response was to hold her a little closer to him. Her arms tightened around him accordingly as she continued to rub his back. He allowed a near silent whimper to pass his lips as he began to sweat heavily once more. Kagome's eyes closed painfully as she silently reassured her hurting Inuyasha. He was dealing with this unbelievably well, but that was really no surprise; he had been forced to teach himself to endure large amounts of pain throughout his life. She had to fight back tears at the thought of that, remembering how she had first found the embodiment of his childhood innocence.

"Kagome," he gasped out. She felt the shoulder of her sleeve grow damp with his sweat as he pressed his forehead harder against it. Not knowing how to help him dilute the pain, she continued to rub his back.

"Shh…it won't last much longer, I promise," she cooed. He pulled his head back to regard her with a tired, albeit soft expression. Her eyes told him that what she said was true, and he knew she would never lie to him. So, he mumbled a 'thank you' before returning his head to the crook of her neck. _'Her arms…so warm…I feel……safe,'_ he thought before he fell into another feverish sleep, unaware that Kagome watched over him throughout the night, helped him through his fitful dreams, soothed his pain, and helped him rest and sweat out what was left of the miasma until there was no trace of his previous transformation, and his original appearance was fully restored.

Morning, they both found out, would not come soon enough.

---

It was sometime later on, before the sun was completely over the horizon the next day that Inuyasha finally awoke. For a few moments, his mind was still cloudy, unsure of what had transpired in his sleep the previous night while he was asleep. All he remembered was the fever, the horrible pain he had harbored within himself thanks to the miasma, and…Kagome's loving reassurance, her comfort, her embrace, and what she had done for him. He smiled despite his exhaustion, knowing she had not criticized his moment of weakness. Then, he suddenly remembered Kagome's words, _"I know that there's a lot that we need to talk about, but we'll talk about all that when you're feeling better…"_ his smile faded into a somber expression. Sure, she had said that she felt the same way that he did…but…there was still that doubt, despite the fact that she had healed him. Was that the only reason she said that? So she could get it over with and not have to deal with his problems anymore? He shook his head firmly. No, she wasn't like that. She wouldn't say something like that without meaning it. She meant what she said. She had to have.

"You're awake," her gentle voice pulled him from his clouded thoughts as he turned to her and nodded, though regretted doing so from the dizzy spell that soon followed. Seeing that he was still out of it, and quite a bit away from a full recovery, she sat back down on the bed and asked how he was feeling. He simply groaned but nodded his head in assurance that he was improving.

"I've felt better, but it's getting there," he mumbled, cradling his head to stop the dizziness. She smiled at the news. "But we need to talk," he added, noting how her smile faltered slightly. She nodded to show that she was listening. "Kagome, last night, back there, when I said-I mean, when my-gah, my head hurts…" he moaned from trying to explain such a complicated ordeal, though they had both experienced it. She couldn't help but giggle.

"It's alright; I know what you're talking about," she assured him.

"Well, what was said back there…" he hesitated, afraid, but of what, he honestly didn't know. Perhaps it was the fear that he would mess it up again, and she would have him.

"I meant what I said, Inuyasha. I love you," his head lifted to look at her in surprise. She had said it so…freely, and with not hesitation or regret…the feeling those words brought him was…incredible…he smiled at the warmth that suffused through him. Unable to contain himself (for reasons beyond him,) he tugged her sleeves roughly so that she fell against his chest. He didn't waste an instant before he crushed her to him in a tight hug, nuzzling his cheek against the side of the crown of her head. Reveling in her touch, her love, he closed his eyes and let the emotions within him overwhelm him for the first time in his life.

"And I mean it too," he mumbled, running his claws through her silken tresses. "I…love you, too," his voice lowered, but the tender tone of his voice never once faltered. "But you knew that already I bet, didn't you?" He chuckled tiredly. She giggled softly and nodded her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and shoulders.

"My only concern is about Naraku," Kagome pondered aloud. "If he ever found out…"

"He won't. And even if he did, I'm not giving you up. Ever. You got me, girl?" He growled, but there was a spark of playfulness in his voice that had her smiling and hugging him tighter. The moment she gave his shoulders a squeeze, he coughed again (though thankfully, it was a dry cough.) Alarmed, she released him from her hold completely and looked him over. He waved her off and said that he was just fine.

"You still look tired," she observed, ignoring his faint protests (through several yawns,) and forced him to lie back down. "Now look here, mister, you're lying down and getting some rest; no ifs ands or buts about it, understand?" She playfully bossed him, laughing at his pout.

"Only if you stay," he bargained, and it was an offer she simply couldn't refuse. Sure, they still needed to find Naraku and get revenge for doing this to Inuyasha, but the poor inu-hanyou was still dead tired. Well, that and, of course, with Kagome in his arms, he really didn't feel like going anywhere for a while.


	7. Foreshadowing the Battle

Here's a heads up- if you haven't been keeping up with the manga lately, there are some references to recent chapters, and I will be more than happy to explain them at the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy!

---

It had taken five days for Inuyasha's strength to fully recover from the incident with the miasma (well, technically he was perfectly fine after only three, but Kagome insisted that he rest more just to be safe.) Honestly, he would have been pouting and complaining throughout most of the time, had he not been occupying himself with falling into his relationship with Kagome. As odd as it sounded, their relationship was…so easy to get into, like it was a long time coming. Though, he thought whilst playing with the back of Kagome's hair, that it certainly had been.

Currently, his girlfriend (and soon-to-be mate) was finishing with the usual packing of her ridiculously bright yellow backpack, and making sure that she had everything, the bag propped up on her lap, the top flipped open, as she sat on the bed next to him. Although he had wanted to leave as soon as she had finished, she promised that they would leave first thing in the morning. Of course, they had fought over the matter, but Inuyasha quickly resigned to defeat when Kagome threatened to never pet his ears ever again (after how wonderful it felt before, could one possibly blame him?) And so, there he sat, flipping and twirling her smooth locks of black hair between his clawed fingers as she finished preparations for tomorrow. "You know," her thoughtful voice dragged him out of his daze, and he inclined his head toward her to show he was listening (but still continued his ministrations to her hair as he listened,) "the next time we fight Naraku might be the last time." The smell of fear and anticipation saturated her otherwise wonderfully sweet scent, and his hand froze in her hair while she continued, "think about it; Megatsuhi is dead, as are all of his incarnations other than Byakuya, but even he won't come anywhere near Sesshomaru now that he has Bakusaiga and his left arm, and…" she paused a moment, her figure tensing at one particular thought. Knowing what it was, Inuyasha untangled his claws from her hair to wrap her in his arms.

"Your spiritual powers are stronger than ever," he murmured into her ear. He felt her nod, but otherwise gave no response to his statement, though it was very much true- since Megatsuhi's death, his seal on Kagome's spiritual powers had completely diminished, and her true priestess abilities were brought forth. Even Inuyasha and Kaede had to admit, that even Kikyo's maximized spiritual strength paled in comparison to what Kagome's had become without that damned seal, proving that she was more than just a flawed copy to anyone who had still has even the slightest inkling that was the case. Unfortunately, having that much power made her Naraku's primary target recently, as he was certainly determined to have her join her previous incarnation in death (though it would never happen, if Inuyasha had any say in the matter). "Keh, don't worry about it." He responded, holding her a little closer.

"How can you say that?" She asked incredulously, turning her head toward his. "Naraku has most of the jewel, and is set on killing every last one of us! Worse yet, we still need to get rid of Byakuya to ensure that Naraku will never resurface again! Not to mention, who's to say that we can still win? So much could happen…" he could hear the tremor in her voice as the smell of tears wafted through his nose. But he honestly couldn't scold her for crying, not this time; there was a lot that could go wrong, and if he was as honest as she was, he would have to admit that, with their currently gained (and in theirs and Sesshomaru's cases, regained) assets, the fight has about evened itself out for both the protagonists and the antagonists. The fight could go to either side at this point. Sure, it was a fifty-fifty chance now, but it was a blessing in comparison to their odds before this.

"I'll admit- Naraku has just as much chance of winning as we do," his arms tightened around her in reassurance. "But I know that we will come out of this, and Naraku will pay. Think about it; we have more allies than he does. It's basically a two versus at least twelve fight, and despite how strong Naraku and Byakuya are, they will be overwhelmed, not to mention that each one of us has our own abilities that we have honed and developed, that he still can't counter. But we know every one of his attacks, and we've survived them before. So just…" unsure of how to finish, he sighed lightly.

"Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best," she finished for him quietly, and he could swear that he heard her smile before he saw it.

"Exactly," he gave her a fanged grin in response. Finished with preparations for tomorrow, she tied the bag closed and set it next to the bed, along with her bow and quiver of arrows before she clicked off the light and slipped under the covers. Inuyasha (though remaining on top of the blankets) lied down next to her to watch over her as she slept, returning her favor for what she did for him while Naraku's miasma was still harbored within his body. But, he mentally reminded himself with a grin as he draped an arm over her, he could never repay her for how well she took care of his heart, try as he might.

---

Five o' clock the following morning brought with it Inuyasha and Kagome's return to the place that they both now called home, despite the fact that the miko was still shaking off the feeling of sleep as Inuyasha guided her to the well.

After safely passing through to the feudal era, Inuyasha wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist before leaping grandly out of the well. The hanyou couldn't help but chuckle at her unsteady landing in the grass, still wet with morning dew. His arm tightened around her to keep her from falling, and remained there until she was steadily on her feet. Only then did he retract his arm, but not without one final affectionate squeeze. She smiled her gratitude, a look that quickly changed to a look of urgency when she watched him sniff the air frantically, and his eyes widen in shock. Following his gaze, she quickly understood why.

Thick vines of menacing smoke jutted out into the dark early morning sky above Kaede's village, flecked with sparks and lit ashes from the flames consuming the otherwise peaceful place. "Let's go," nodding in agreement to his growl, she climbed onto his back as he sped off toward the site of the calamity. As he broke through the barrier of trees surrounding the area, his senses were assaulted with the heat of the fire, the smell of burning ashes and soot, the blinding light from the flames that consumed the huts.

"Naraku-!" Hearing Kagome's outburst and seeing her point her finger over his head, he followed its path to find the dark hanyou hovering amidst the chaos, thick tentacles strewn out in various directions. His sadistic, maniacal laughter echoed ominously over the frantic cries of what villagers were left.

Sesshomaru suddenly burst forth from a pile of rubble, Bakusaiga poised high in his left arm as he took the liberty of slicing off several of Naraku's tentacles in quick, graceful strokes with his blade. Koga, who they had suddenly realized was also present with Ayame, sped forth and saw his opening to drive his leg through what tentacles Sesshomaru had not cut down, which left Ayame to send in her leaf spears into Naraku's chest. Unfortunately, the leaf daggers were easily absorbed into his skin and shot back out, managing to barely scrape her arm and her legs as she leapt to the side, out of harm's way.

Inuyasha (on her insistence) set Kagome down so she could run into the action close behind him as he drew forth Tetsusaiga. Hearing them approach, Sesshomaru was the first to greet them. "Brother," he nodded, earning the same gesture from his younger sibling.

"How long has this been going on?" Kagome asked as she readied and arrow onto her bow, though had yet to draw back the string or take aim.

"A few hours, perhaps; it hasn't been very long."

"How did Naraku find the village?" Inuyasha growled out.

"That much I do not know. Now then, if you're through interrogating me, I believe we have a battle in which we must partake." Growling at his arrogant older half-brother, despite their recent truce, the hanyou turned toward Naraku. Their nemesis seemed to be having a difficult time dealing with the after-effects of Sesshomaru's Bakusaiga, seeing as the tentacles the blade had severed were still dissolving, and further inflicting damage to their owner. With an irritated growl, Naraku quickly sliced the affected stumps off to keep from further damaging him. Seeing his task complete, he let out a beastly snarl toward the inu-hanyou ahead of him.

"So Inuyasha, you have managed to avoid further suffering from my hand yet again," he jeered, drawing immense enjoyment from seeing Inuyasha's enraged reactions to his taunting. "No doubt that damned miko had something to do with it," Naraku added, still unaware of Kagome's presence. So it had, of course, been a shock to feel her arrow, cocooned with her bright blue aura, splice through his chest, and ultimately dissect him clean into two halves. Of course, it did nothing to his false body, but the dark hanyou knew that he could not deal with her as well as the demons and hanyou set before him on his own.

"Naraku, it's high time you pay for what you've done!" Kagome called as she readied another arrow and pulled the string back taut. With practiced skill and grace, she lined the tip of the arrow up where Naraku's chest had just finished regenerating, and was about to let the arrow loose when Inuyasha stopped her by catching the hand on her bow with his. Her eyes snapped over at him, shocked that he was actually holding her back from attacking Naraku for once. "Inuyasha, what-"

"Don't bother," he said, though the disappointment in his eyes was not unnoticed. "It's one of his false bodies, and it's disappearing as we speak."

"I know that! But if I don't attack-!"

"Naraku knows that the final battle is upon us," Sesshomaru cut in, though kept his gaze on the dissolving image of Naraku's copy. "No doubt he is saving his strength for when the time comes. If we are to defeat him," he turned to look at them, "we must do the same." Inuyasha, Koga, and Ayame nodded. Kagome lowered her bow in defeat and also nodded once she stowed her arrow back into her quiver.

"But first, we need to try and find any survivors," Kagome said after a short moment of silence, and Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

"There's no need," everyone turned to see Miroku, Sango, and Kaede leading the villagers out of the forest, Shippo and Kirara trailing behind the rest. Seeing Inuyasha and Kagome's surprised looks, Sango stepped in to explain,

"While Sesshomaru, Koga, and Ayame fought off Naraku, we managed to evacuate the villagers into the forest far enough away from the battle." When she saw the couple nod in understanding, she turned away to help try and restore some order to the village, as most of its inhabitants were busying themselves with putting out what was left of the fires and trying to salvage what they could, if anything at all.

"Sesshomaru-sama!!!" Hearing the familiar (albeit incredibly annoying) squawk of his servant Jaken, the taiyoukai turned and lifted his head to see the said toad-like demon mounted on Ah-Un's saddle as he guided the two-headed dragon youkai to the ground. Sesshomaru made his way over to where Ah-Un was to land to speak with Jaken in private, temporarily leaving the rest of the group to discuss their next move.

While Kagome talked with Sango, Miroku, and Kaede, Inuyasha allowed himself to fully take in his surroundings, see what was left of the village. To be quite honest, there was little for him to see other than piles of singed wood and ash. What few huts were still standing were uninhabitable, having become heavily dilapidated from the abuse they took from the dark hanyou's assault. Seeing the destruction of one of the two places he called home, Inuyasha clenched his clawed fists at his sides.

"Naraku will pay for all the havoc he has caused. He _WILL _die," he growled out. Kagome nodded as she interlaced her fingers with his (after prying his claws loose without much coaxing) and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He gripped her hand back a moment before they let go, glad he had her at his side, though not entirely happy with the prospect of hiding their affections until Naraku was dead. As they broke contact, Sesshomaru returned to the rest of the group

"The next time Naraku shows himself, will be in the battle to end it all," the hanyou and miko turned to Sesshomaru, surprised at both his statement, and the certain bloodthirsty glint in his eyes that he had not held in quite some time, before he even managed to get his arm and Bakusaiga. The glare alone sent the humans in the group (and Jaken) into a nearly insuppressible shudder (well, except for Rin, but she really never was afraid of him.)

"What makes you say that, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, genuinely confused as to how he would know this for certain.

"I sent Ah-Un and Jaken after a group of Naraku's poisonous insects that had left the village following the attack. They have returned with the location of Naraku's castle. It lies on the Western border, just barely inside my lands," he snorted under his breath. "Keh, to think, he's been tainting my domain with his rat-hole," he jeered. Inuyasha however, seemed oddly distant, as he continued to glare aimlessly at one of the smoldering piles of what once was a hut. Even Sesshomaru could not ignore the tension the hanyou held within.

"How far off is it?" The hanyou growled, still not facing the others.

"For us youkai, about a half a day's travel; for the humans, it would take at least a day to get there."

"…Fine then."

"The humans will be able to keep up with us," Koga said before growling something out in Okami-youkai tongue. Two particularly large wolves, each the size of Kirara's larger form, stepped forth from the brush. Sango picked up her two-tailed cat friend and stroked her fur gently.

"Kohaku and I will take Kirara," She noted as she gestured toward her little brother, who was currently helping the villagers sort themselves out. Koga nodded in understanding. Kagome stepped forth.

"Kagome- you and Miroku take the wolves-"

"There's no way in HELL that she's leaving my sight-"

"Inuyasha, be reasonable," the reincarnated priestess chided gently. "We'll all have to be split up and take different routes to Naraku's hideout. That way, we'll be harder to detect, traveling in smaller groups." The others nodded in agreement. Inuyasha reluctantly gave in, though was still greatly upset at the prospect of her not being within his sensing range for that long, and under such grave conditions, despite how well she can handle herself, and the fact that she wouldn't be traveling alone.

"Alright then, but perhaps it's best that we discuss this elsewhere," Ayame noted, jerking her head toward the trees. Miroku agreed.

"Very well; we'll meet in the forest clearing near the Sacred Tree," the youkai (and hanyou) of the group wasted no time in taking off toward the designated area. The humans (and Jaken) followed closely behind.

Odd as it sounds, the forest seemed…hushed, as though it wanted to be in on their plans; the usual ambient noise of birds or small animals was nonexistent, and even their footsteps in the grass seemed to echo. But all paranoia was disregarded when all were present and accounted for. Sesshomaru, the only one of the two people there that knew the whereabouts of the castle in question, began,

"Tomorrow at dawn is the best time to attack; Naraku still doesn't know that we are aware of where he is hiding, so it's best that we use that to our advantage," murmurs of agreement were shared among the group.

"If we are to attack at dawn, then we should leave in the twilight hours of sunset tonight," Miroku stated, explaining that leaving then would give them enough time to deal with any interference, if any of the groups were to come across any. Kagome countered with,

"That's fine, but the groups should leave at different times; the father apart each group's patterns are, the less attention we will draw."

"Alright, Ayame and I will be more than happy to each lead a group," Koga offered, and Ayame nodded enthusiastically in response.

"Agreed; so that everyone gets to the right place, Ah-Un and I will take Koga and Ayame to see where Naraku's castle is immediately after this, so that they may lead their groups properly," seeing the two Okami-youkai nod in agreement, Sesshomaru turned toward Kagome and Miroku. "You will take first leave at sunset with Koga. Ayame, you take the Two-tailed youkai and the two taijia siblings two hours after they leave. Inuyasha and I will follow behind after that. Once the groups reach Naraku's hideout, wait in the forest outskirts for a signal."

"What will the signal be?" Kagome asked.

"Listen for Kirara's roar." Sango noted, "That should be a good enough signal that won't sound suspicious," Kirara gave a soft 'mew' to show she was willing.

"Very well then. Koga, Ayame, follow me then," Sesshomaru said as he turned. Ah-Un, sensing that it was needed, walked over to its owner and awaited its command. The taiyoukai pet both Ah's head as well as Un's head a moment. "Lead us back to where the Samiyoshou lead you earlier," he ordered, earning a roar of acknowledgement from each head. Sesshomaru turned to the wolf-youkai couple. "Get on his back; I will manage on my own," though reluctant, they did as he had told them, and soon Ah-Un leapt high into the air, Sesshomaru gliding close to its side as they took off into the early morning air.

Inuyasha's hands wouldn't stop trembling, no matter how tightly he balled them into fists. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that, not only was he going to be separated from his intended, but she was also one of the first to leave toward Naraku's lair? For the first time in quite a while, he was truly terrified. Sensing his distress, Kagome assured the others that they would catch up to them later, as they headed back to the remains of the village to prepare. Once they were gone, she turned to him, stepping in front of him to get his attention. "Inuyasha?" She asked softly, hoping to finally get him to snap out of his thoughts. He lifted his eyes to look into hers.

"Do you…really have to be among the first to go?" He asked softly, his eyes wavering with concern for her well-being. Her eyelids drooped slightly. So, that was what unnerved him so.

"Someone has to do it. Besides, I'm the only one of all of us that can sense the sacred jewel shards, so it's only logical that I go first to see if this is the real deal or not. Besides," she grinned slightly at the thought, "at least I won't be stuck with your brother." She flat out laughed at his reaction.

"Ugh, don't remind me of the torture I'll be put through," he moaned in agony. She flicked his nose playfully, which he in turn scrunched up at the action.

"Oh, come off it, you two made a truce!"

"That means I don't wanna kill 'im. That don't mean I actually wanna be around him when it's not necessary," he pouted. Why must he be tormented so? She laughed as they started walking toward the village.

Very little conversation was shared among any of our heroes as they prepared for the upcoming battle (even after Sesshomaru, Koga, Ayame, and Ah-Un returned, not so much as Jaken made a noise). For the most part, the humans of the group, after they finished with either sharpening their weapons (or in Kagome's case, making more arrows and packing spare bowstrings) all slept lightly to save their energy, while the youkai (and hanyou) all simply rested once they were certain that their blades and other assortments of weapons were in their prime condition. And soon, the sun was beginning to enter the hours of twilight in which their plan was beginning to take shape.

Kagome let out a light sigh as she tied her black cloak around her neck. Miroku, as well as the other humans in the group, also sported the same long black cloaks with hoods. "Well, this is it," she whispered as she started walking to the one large wolf Miroku had not already mounted. The monk had already pulled the hood of his cloak over his face, as Kagome was about to do, when she suddenly heard rushed footsteps behind her.

"Wait," hearing Inuyasha's soft whisper, she stopped and turned to him. He regarded her a moment before mustering up enough courage to grip her shoulders gently, lean down and press his lips to her forehead, much like she had done for him. She blushed at the contact, but smiled happily at the warmth that spread through her from his touch. He pulled away and opened his eyes lazily. He gave her a small smile before he reached up and pulled her hood over the top of her head to hide her beautifully shimmering eyes from his view. "Stay safe, you hear me?" He whispered in a grave tone, and she saw the tremor in his eyes as he looked her over in concern. She nodded solemnly.

"I will," she replied in the same tone before turning away and mounting the wolf youkai.

"Let's go," both humans nodding at Koga's order, they gripped the fur on their respective wolf's necks as they took off into the fading light.

"Don't look so down, Inuyasha," Ayame tried to cheer the hanyou up as he watched Kagome disappear from his view. "For what it's worth, I know what you're going through; remember, Koga's with them, and he's my mate." That much Inuyasha had to give her; her officially marked mate was leaving her behind as well, so it wasn't as if he was the only one suffering. But…but he still was so afraid…

He shook his head firmly. No, he couldn't be thinking like this. Kagome was a capable and powerful woman. He should know; he was the one who loved her with all of his being.

As according to plan, precisely two hours after Kagome, Miroku, and Koga left, Ayame was ready and waiting to lead Sango and Kohaku down a similar path that the first group had taken. Kirara already had the two taijia siblings on her back as Ayame started to tense her legs to take off. "See ya later!" With that, she sped into the sunset, Kirara following close behind, though being sure to keep to the ground.

"We must take leave as well," Sesshomaru said, stepping ahead of his brother. The hanyou nodded in response, and with one last silent prayer to the gods pleading them to watch over Kagome, he followed his brother into the approaching night.

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-pant- -pant- Okay, stomach flu is gone, it's kinda late, and I am finally done with this chapter!

Okay, there's a reference to a guy named Megatsuhi earlier in the chapter. He's the dark half of the sacred jewel, and he also sealed Kagome's powers when she was a baby, so we never saw her at her full strength until after his death (which, for the record, hasn't happened yet) And there's talk of Sesshomaru's arm growing back (it does) and he gets a new sword, Bakusaiga (a sword that he had harbored in his body, and never even knew about it.) And Byakuya (no, not Byakuya Kuchiki from Bleach) is the only living incarnation of Naraku left. Hope that clears things up for you!

The next chapter, you ask? Why, it's only TEH FINAL BATTLE!!! So…stick around! Reviews always make me smile!


	8. Finish the Fight

Okay, as some of you know, action sequences aren't exactly my forte, but I'm proud of how this one turned out; I've been binging on Halo 3 for most of the time, and therefore have pulled some inspiration from it…strange, I know. Also, there are sword attacks Tetsusaiga has gained since the anime ended that will be explained at the end of the chapter.

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Trees and shrubs whizzed past Koga, Miroku, and Kagome as they continued toward Naraku's hideout. Oddly enough, everything in the surrounding forest seemed…betraying, like it was waiting for the opportune moment to give away their position to Byakuya, who often played as Naraku's scout while he was in hiding. No one dared to speak; they were fully aware of the risks such an action brought at a time like this, so the only sound they dared to make was the steady pounding of Koga's feet and the two wolves' paws as they neared their destination.

Kagome gripped her bow tighter to keep it from falling off of her shoulder. She leaned a bit closer to the wolf's back, stealing a sideways glance at Miroku to see how well he was fairing. Though he was used to riding Kirara in midair with Sango, he was managing just fine from the looks of it. She turned her gaze in front of her to see Koga running in between the two other wolf demons; since he no longer possessed any jewel shards in his legs (Naraku took his,) his speed had decreased substantially (though he was still much faster than most youkai.)

Seeing that both of her comrades were alright, she briefly allowed her mind to wander to her Inuyasha, and quietly uttered a fervent prayer to the gods to watch over him, knowing that the risks were higher for him; he had a very high level of demonic aura, and he was taking the same path as Sesshomaru, whose own aura was even more powerful and ominous; the both of them were easily detected even if they were miles apart; given the close proximity of their auras, they could be easily found by Byakuya if he were patrolling around the area. If he were ambushed…her grip on her bow tightened.

"The hideout's perimeter is just beyond this clearing," Koga said in a hushed voice. On the other side of the expansive ravine was a rather simple looking temple jutting out far enough to reach the end of the cliff. Despite such an innocent-looking structure, it was clear who inhabited it; Naraku's ominous and dreadful aura was centered so heavily on the building that it even managed to weigh down on the demons of the small group. "There's nothing else we can do but wait for Kirara's signal," Miroku muttered, though mostly to himself. The others nodded but made no other sound.

---

_'Have the others made it?'_ That thought coursed through Inuyasha's mind as he stood near the cliff of the ravine separating him from his enemy's position. The worry that something happened to his friends…his comrades…his Kagome had driven him to the brink of insanity throughout the trip here. Okay, so having to travel with Sesshomaru didn't make matters much better, but that was basically a given at this point. Granted, they had arrived at their destination only moments ago, so his senses had yet to pick up any of his friends' scents, but all the same his concern had not waned since their departure. Sesshomaru had seemed to read his thoughts at that moment.

"Don't concern yourself with your friends; I can pick up their scents not too far from here; they have arrived," to see if it was true with his own senses, he lifted his head and took an experimental sniff of the air, and sure enough, he was able to pick up everyone's distinct scents and feel their auras pulsating not too far from their position; Sesshomaru had been correct. His breath was finally allowed to escape his lips in a release of relief he had been so hoping he would achieve. But he could not relax now; not when they were so close to finishing the fight.

Kirara's loud, feral roar broke through the silence, its call echoing off the forest walls. The signal was barely registered in the hanyou's mind before he saw Koga and his two wolves, each accompanying Kagome and Miroku, break through the tree line and dart forth to Naraku's hideout, all the while keeping low and out of sight. Kirara followed suit with Sango and Kohaku, making a beeline for their destination.

"Let's go," Inuyasha hissed before following the two-tail cat youkai into the ravine, not really concerning himself with what happened to Sesshomaru.

A sense of horror flooded Inuyasha's senses as he saw Byakuya burst through the open window of Naraku's hideout on that ridiculous giant origami bird he flew around on. Akin to a heat seeking missile, the incarnation of Naraku swiftly closed in on Kagome, Miroku, and Koga's position, his arm flexed back in anticipation to shed their blood.

Kagome, who had thankfully sensed Byakuya's approach before he was visible, had already knocked an arrow onto her bow and taken aim. As she released it, it became encased in her pure, brilliant blue aura. Her target just barely managed to swerve to avoid getting hit in the chest, but did not go unscathed; her arrow still managed to pierce through the armor protecting his arm, and her priestess powers dealt with what was left of that, cleanly slicing the arm off at the shoulder. Miasma sprayed out of the wound in a fine mist as Kagome's wolf jumped to meet Byakuya's level and twisted to avoid the hazardous substance. Kirara flew behind Byakuya to give Sango a clear shot with her Hiraikotsu as it flew from her fingertips. The origami bird flew out of the path of the boomerang, but was met with Kohaku's kunai whip-chain shortly after. The weapon shredded the bird and left Byakuya wide open for attack, which Koga and Ayame used as the opportunity to deal several melee attacks to his exposed self. Once they had gotten safely out of the way, Miroku used three of his sutras to weaken the menace considerably.

But he was not one to be so easily bested, that cunning Byakuya. His sharp claws were deeply imbedded into Kirara's side before anyone had realized it. The two-tail roared angrily and twisted sharply to shake the nuisance off. His claws were tugged out of her flesh in surprise, and since he no longer hand another arm to keep his hold, he began to descend, but not before Sango's Hiraikotsu, upon returning to its master, sliced through his middle and cut him in two. Now in pieces and lacking the required amount of miasma to regenerate himself, he plummeted to the ground in a crumpled heap. Once her wolf landed on a high rock on the ravine wall, Kagome knocked one final arrow and shot it directly down to his chest, her immense holy power purifying his blackened, demented insides. But he was stubborn, and still alive, though barely so. That changed, however, when Inuyasha finally caught up to their position, and cleaved the last incarnation of Naraku with the black Tetsusaiga, sending what was left of him to the depths of hell.

No sooner than the last of Inuyasha's meidou zangetsuha had vanished, than Naraku finally made his presence known as he emerged from his hiding place. "Curse you…all of you," he growled, seeing that he was their sole target now. But he still had most of the jewel, and therefore, still had a chance. "You have gotten in my way for the last time!" The dark hanyou dove from the edge of the cliff toward Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, who both leapt in opposite directions to narrowly miss there Naraku had landed. Sesshomaru was quick to retaliate, gracefully weaving through the many streams of tentacles Naraku's body protruded forth, cleanly severing them with Bakusaiga as he sped forth to deal more substantial damage. Inuyasha had already begun to bombard Naraku with visceral slashes of his Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga in an attempt to seek out Naraku's demonic energy to destroy it, though such efforts were unsuccessful, as Naraku had made certain to seal away his demonic energy from such exposure. With a growl, he used his aura as a sort of barrier that pushed Inuyasha away with such a force that he was thrown into the ravine's wall. To keep Naraku occupied until the two brothers could get the upper hand, Miroku lashed out at him with his staff, occasionally throwing a sutra or two for good measure. Koga darted around Naraku's regenerating tentacles, ripping them apart as he went past them while Ayame covered for him.

Sesshomaru, finally bursting forth from the tangle of Naraku's severed appendages, swung Bakusaiga vertically in an attempt to critically injure the dark hanyou's body, but was caught half way when Naraku swept his arm fiercely to bat him away. The retaliation caused Sesshomaru to slice off another offending tentacle, but another one replaced it and sent the taiyoukai crashing into the ground with a mighty blow to his side.

Seeing the barrier, Kagome shot another arrow, nearly crying out in liberation as she saw her purified projectile easily pierce and shatter the barricade harboring Naraku within its walls, as well as dissolve about a third of his body. Clouds of miasma rose from the massive wound, adding such a weight to the air that the wolves Kagome and Miroku were riding all but collapsed under the immense pressure. Knowing that such a hindrance could not be afforded at such a critical time, Kagome shot another arrow into the miasma, effectively purifying it, and lifting its weight from the air surrounding them. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru once again tried attacking Naraku from opposite sides, but both were dealt harsh blows from Naraku's tentacles, even managing to damage Sesshomaru by piercing through his shoulder and dislocating his opposite elbow. Inuyasha was left with three cracked ribs and a shattered leg. But stubbornness was one trait that ran in their family blood; they kept attacking. Growing irritated with these two in particular, he used his claws to slash Inuyasha across from his shoulder to his hip, blood oozing from the severe wound. Sesshomaru was stabbed through the side with a sharp jutting bone of Naraku's that even managed to pierce through his armor. By now both brothers were covered in blood and critically injured beyond whatever damage they had ever been dealt before.

Seeing them clearly in need of assistance, Sango and Miroku rushed forth to aid them in the battle, but were easily knocked out with one swoop of Naraku's jagged protruding bone. Koga and Ayame managed to deliver a few good blows, but were ultimately at a disadvantage against such a foe. Kagome fired another arrow, managing to rid Naraku of what little miasma he still had harbored within his body.

Now Naraku knew that he was on his last legs; his miasma was gone, so there was absolutely nothing for him to fall back on, and he could still feel the effects of Kagome's spiritual powers engulfing his insides at an agonizingly slow pace. It was then that he knew that the battle, for him, was lost. But he would be damned if he allowed it to end like this, dying alone amongst these wretched fools. If he was to die, at least one of them was to escort him to hell. And he knew just which one to take first.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror as he saw Naraku turn away from he and the others toward Kagome where she was standing atop the ravine's cliff next to the wolf she had ridden here. The dark hanyou, in a last desperate attempt to kill, shot out a twisted bone from his chest toward her at such speeds that were otherwise unheard of. Inuyasha scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pounding in his leg and the blood dripping from his head and into his eyes as he darted forth with Black Tetsusaiga poised high in the air over his shoulder. With a guttural roar, he sent the blackened blade crashing to the ground, his meidou erupting forth, eager to engulf Naraku's twisted body. But it did not reach him fast enough. The bone crashed into Kagome's side, sweeping her off of the cliff. Time seemed to slow agonizingly for Inuyasha as he tried to will his legs to move fast enough to catch her, but Naraku spun and hit him with the same bone, throwing him several feet backwards as one of its spikes was driven into his chest, opposite from his heart. He landed with a heavy 'thud' on his stomach, and had to bite back a growl of pain. He managed to lift his head enough to see Naraku become engulfed in the meidou attack he had sent toward him, but could not find Kagome. He had seen her start to fall, but now he couldn't find her…

…_no_…

…she didn't…she _wasn't_…she_ couldn't be-!_

"Kagome?!?" He lifted his torso off the ground in a push-up position. His blood loss made his head spin, and the pain from his ribs and leg was unbearable, but he needed to find her. "_Kagome?!?_" He called again, louder, more desperate than ever to see her and know that she was alright. But there was no answer. He stood shakily, ignoring the voice in his head that ordered him to stop this foolishness. "_KAGOME?!?_" He bellowed before he began coughing up blood. Again, all that answered was his own echo. "No…" He sank to his knees with wide, sorrowful eyes. "No…don't be…don't be…" he muttered to himself as he began to fall forward, the darkness beginning to eat at the corners of his vision.

"Inuyasha!!!" He hardly registered her voice before he felt his head land on something soft and warm. Gentle arms held him in place by the shoulders and cradled his head, though who they belonged to, he didn't dare hope. "Inuyasha, please live…please be alright…" her fervent whispers rained over his battered body.He tilted his head upward, too exhausted to lift it, to see that it was indeed Kagome holding him. Her tears spilt over onto his blood streaked face as she gazed at him, willing him to live with her eyes. But the darkness was consuming his vision, and he knew he would not be able to stay conscious much longer.

"Ka…" her name died on his lips as he blacked out, his head lowering back to its original position against her chest. But in his delirious state, he wasn't entirely sure that she was truly there, or if he was truly alive. Sure, they managed to finish the fight, but the price of such a war…seemed to be more than he could bear…

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IT…IS…NOT…THE…END!!! I promise that it isn't! Honest! Please read and review! And for all you know, Kagome might not be dead after all!

Ah yes, Inuyasha's sword upgrades. The Black Tetsusaiga is an ability gained from Tensaiga, the Meidou Zangetsuha, which opens a portal directly to hell and sends enemies through it. The Dragon Scale Tetsusaiga lets Inuyasha see the orbs of demonic energy that every demon has, and cuts them, effectively killing the demon.


	9. Are you still here with me?

To those who asked me about the fifth movie that I had said was set to release…it turns out that it wasn't true. I had read it on a website, not knowing that it was an unreliable source, and that the fifth movie was a rumor. To those who asked me about it, my sincerest apologies; I had thought that it was real. But there is a petition online for Sunshine to start the Inuyasha anime up again, so sign it if you haven't already! Anyway, here's the chapter!

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It was rather…strange, Inuyasha thought in the deepest corner of his subconscious, that he felt so…cold…sad…empty…and he wasn't quite sure why. He frowned in his slumber, trying to remember why his heart didn't want his body to wake up. They defeated Naraku, right? So…why wasn't he celebrating the liberation he now had to happily, openly, and truly love Kag-

Oh gods…Kagome…

…she was gone…

…and he had no one to blame but himself.

Disembodied voices filtered through his drooped ears in quiet murmurs, as if they were afraid that they would wake him if they spoke too loudly. From what he could tell, there was a male and a female talking, though their voices were so foggy in his mind he had trouble identifying them at first. He strained his hearing to listen to their conversation.

"How is Inuyasha doing?" The hanyou heard Sango ask in a hiss. He physically cringed, knowing that he didn't deserve to be fretted over when he let his intended mate die.

"He's going to be alright, once he wakes up," Miroku's voice responded, though seemed to die off before he could continue what he was saying. Inuyasha listened for a few more moments before he heard the sound of footsteps crunching through the grass. "You should be resting-!" Miroku's voice suddenly seemed urgently chastising, like there was a sort of danger amidst them.

"It doesn't matter; I'm alright," Inuyasha nearly gasped despite still being only half-conscious…that voice…how was it…? _'Kagome…?'_

"I know that you're concerned, but please- it will do you no good to be up and about like this," unable to go on not knowing if this was an illusion that his mind conjured up in his depression, he tried desperately to open his heavy lids to see if she was truly there. He cringed and struggled to move without initiating any more physical pain unto himself, but he _needed_ to know if what he thought was true. Nearly inaudible grunts and whimpers of pain escaped his lips.

"Miroku, Sango please, he's hurting-!"

"Please, just go back and rest some more. You handled his wounds well, but he needs to rest just as much as you do," despite his desire to see if that woman speaking with Miroku and Sango truly was Kagome, to see whether or not he was imagining it, he heard their footsteps die off into eventual silence as his battle with unconsciousness ended in defeat and he drifted into a miserable slumber.

…

…

It could have been days later when Inuyasha opened his eyes for the first time since the battle with Naraku; he wasn't entirely sure, but when he finally did manage to awake, he was welcomed to the sight of the familiar curvy roots of the Sacred Tree outside Kaede's village. He felt the soft grass under his cheek, and realized that, since the village was still being rebuilt, he was within its outskirts and under the peaceful watch of the ancient tree. His half open eyes darkened over in pain when he remembered that the last time he was under this tree, he still harbored Naraku's miasma within his body, and Kagome, despite his split and ugly appearance, still offered him food and to stay at her home. And now…because of his inability to protect her…she was…

"You're finally up, I see," he turned his gaze toward the sound of Miroku's voice but did not lift his head; it still felt far too heavy to him. Beside him, Sango sat with her legs tucked underneath her, though kept her distance from the monk's wandering hand.

"How are you feeling?" The demon slayer asked whilst stroking a slumbering Kirara's fur as the two-tailed cat demon curled up in her master's lap.

"Guilty," he replied in a hoarse moan, his voice cracked and raspy from misuse. He faintly saw Miroku's eyebrow quirk in confusion.

"Guilty? Why would you feel guilty?" Miroku asked, truly bewildered at his friend's response. Perhaps he was hit in the head too hard when he was thrown back…? He watched the hanyou's eyes glaze over in agony.

"Kagome…I didn't catch her. I didn't…protect her," at first, the monk still did not understand what Inuyasha was saying, but recalled Kagome falling from the cliff when Naraku had unexpectedly knocked her from it. He shook his head slightly. Apparently, the hanyou hadn't seen all of it. Thinking along the same lines as her husband, Sango attempted to reason with him,

"Don't feel guilty, Inuyasha; she's-"

"She's dead because of me. It's all my fault. I couldn't protect her," the lethargic hanyou murmured brokenly, cutting Sango off.

"Inuyasha, you obviously didn't see what happened after Naraku hit her-" Miroku tried to explain, but the still delirious hanyou was murmuring dejectedly, as though he couldn't even hear what the monk or demon slayer were trying to say, even as he felt the pain and blood loss threatening to make him black out again.

"I saw her fall…I saw her fall and then I was knocked back, but when I looked again, she was gone…" His eyes rolled lazily, unfocused and hardly seeing. But just before he let his eyes shut again, he happened to look in between Miroku's and Sango's shoulders, stunned to see his beloved Kagome kneeling, albeit somewhat stiffly, looking at him with that same gentle lovingness and concern he had known her for all this time. He thought he heard her say his name in a hushed voice, but he didn't have the chance to figure out if she was truly there before the darkness pulled him into its empty shadows once more.

…

…

"Nnn…" Inuyasha moaned as he opened his eyes again. It was late, he could tell, by the dark setting that had encompassed the surrounding forest, and the stars peppering the otherwise black sky. All black…no moon…new moon…he was human tonight. He lifted his head, confused at how he was sitting against the Sacred Tree (if he recalled correctly, he was lying down last time he was conscious) but upon further inspection of his chest, he found that it was bare, minus the bandages, blotched with his blood, that covered his entire torso and wrapped around his left shoulder to cover the gash Naraku had made there, and noted that the leg he recalled shattering in the battle was now encompassed in a makeshift brace to help it heal.

"You're awake," he faintly heard _HER _voice softly note, though the relief in her tone was unmistakable. He lifted his head once again, his violet eyes widening at the sight of Kagome kneeling before him, her warm smile as radiant as ever even in the dark of night. His lips parted but no noise would escape them for a moment, still trying to function despite the shock he was going through.

"Kagome," he hardly recognized the cracked, raspy voice that left his throat. His breath shook as he exhaled, not entirely believing that this was real. "You're…you're alive…" he breathed, his deep, entrancing eyes scanning her for any sign that this was a trick, an illusion of his mind. When he could find none, he lifted his trembling hand to cup the side of her face gently, almost experimentally. Only when he felt the warmth and softness of her skin against his did he finally see that it wasn't all just in his head; she was alive. His violet eyes trembled with so many emotions all at once Kagome wasn't sure she could keep track of them all. "How…I saw you fall…?" Her eyes softened the moment she saw tears gripping the corners of his eyes, and it was at that moment that she realized the magnitude of sorrow he had been feeling up until now. Reaching up, she clasped both of her little hands to his larger one on her cheek and ran one of her thumbs over it to soothe him as she explained what happened,

"I was lucky; when Naraku hit me and I started to fall, the wolf I was riding before saw me and jumped to catch me," she paused a moment when she winced in pain. Inuyasha's eyes lit up in alarm, but she waved him off before continuing, "I landed pretty hard on its back, and cracked a rib on my left side. But I'm not complaining; I'm alive, and so are you," she smiled warmly again. Unable to contain himself, he slid the hand that held her cheek to the back of her head and pulled her into as gentle an embrace as he could manage, mindful of her injury, but completely disregarding his, as he had always done. Sure, the pain his injuries gave him was by far more intense now that he was human for the night, but with Kagome there, things just seemed to…numb over, to the point where he felt almost no pain at all. Though, he thought, she had always had that affect on him, regardless of what form he took. The shock was finally fading away, and all that was left was happiness and content in her arms as he held her and felt her return the gesture without hesitation. But there was still the guilt; had the wolf not managed to catch her on its back, he would not have been there to save her. If that would have been the case…he didn't dare think of the possibilities such an idea implicated.

"I'm sorry," he fervently muttered into her hair. "I'm so sorry; I didn't protect you. I'm so, so sorry," he whispered over and over again in between the little kisses he fervently planted on her neck. Unable to stop his ramblings, no matter how hard she tried, she could only sit there and listen as he scattered words of apology into her ebony locks.

"Look here, mister," she growled, but there was a playful undertone that effectively caught his attention as she spoke, "you're alive, I'm alive, and so are all of our friends. That's all that matters," she told him, and he found that she was right; that's all that did matter now. With a final sob of liberation, he burrowed his face into her shoulder and silently wept out his relief, giving no signs that he was crying to anyone that might have been there but the girl in his arms. She said nothing, knowing that if she did it would only embarrass him, but simply kissed the side of his head and held him closer. For a long while, they simply sat there in each other's arms, even long after their tears had dried. Suddenly, he shattered the comfortable silence as he noted,

"You kept your promise to me," at first, Kagome had thought he was referring to the promise she made to stay by him always, but then recalled a more recent promise that was made to his human counterpart; she would comfort him on his human nights. She smiled again.

"How could I not?" She felt his chest rumble lightly as he chuckled in her ear. She felt him nudge the side of her head with his nose as his human nails started to run through her hair. "And besides," her voice trailed off. He turned his head into her hair more to encourage her to continue. "I would have done it whether I promised to or not." She could swear that she felt his smile against her ear, and was sure that she had heard it in his voice,

"I know." He managed to mumble before a rather loud yawn escaped his lips. "We should get some rest," he muttered, closing his eyes and burying his face deeper into the crook of her neck. She nodded, shifting into a more comfortable position for both of their injuries. She was about to wish him a goodnight when she heard him give a sharp cry of pain.

It was then that she felt an odd wetness on her shirt. Pulling back, she gasped at the blood, nearly black in the night that had protruded from Inuyasha's wound seeping through his bandages and onto her clothes. Looking up, she could see traces of a cringe etched onto his face, as he stared at her with wide, almost fearful eyes, as if he knew how grave a situation this had turned so suddenly. Knowing that if he bled much more, he could die in his human form (lack of blood can do that to a person, you know), she gently placed her hands on the center of his wound, though did not apply much pressure at all.

She closed her eyes and let her spiritual powers pulse through her fingertips, transferring to the wound on his stomach. Her aura washed over him like a glowing rain, tiny droplets of her blue purity cleansing his wounds and sealing them shut. The hanyou turned human could only watch in awe and feel the sensation of being physically cleansed (much more intense when you're fully conscience and can feel what's going on _outside_ of your body) as she tended to his wounds. Experimentally, he switched his gaze from his closing stomach and chest gashes (and the blood stains that were gradually disappearing) to look at his splinted leg. That particular injury was one that he felt healing more so than he saw; it was, after all, a bone injury, but was shocked when the splint fell limply from his leg, and the pain that was there was dulled considerably (though not fully healed, it was usable; he was a human tonight, after all).

After another moment, the glowing finally ceased, and Inuyasha could not honestly remember the last time he felt this…what was this, anyway? He couldn't even describe how wonderful it felt to be healed by his intended. He lifted his head to thank her, but before he could even utter a word, she fell against him, her head drooping over his shoulder, her chest pressed against his. His entire body went rigid in panic; what was wrong with her?!?

"Kagome-!" He gasped, wrapping his arms around her to brace her fall, tipping her head back just enough for him to see her face as he held her head upright at his level. For the first time in a long time, she looked…exhausted, worn, and weary. The creases that etched her brow and the bags under her eyes that she had always suppressed with a cheerful smile were now evident in the dark even with his human eyes, and the way her eyelids would flutter randomly indicated that she would be unconscious for the at least an hour.

"Not very surprising; the strength of a human can only last so long," at the sound of his half-brother's voice, Inuyasha snapped his head up in alarm and shock, mentally kicking himself for not being able to sense Sesshomaru's approach. Almost on reflex, he brought Kagome's slumbering frame closer to him as he held her by the tailbone of the waist and the back of the head. Seeing his younger sibling's shock, he explained, "I already knew of your night of weakness; no need for alarm," deciding to change the subject, he nodded once toward Kagome. "That girl is surprisingly powerful; I had not anticipated that her strength would grow so much." Seeing that there was no threat, Inuyasha relaxed a little.

"Of course she's strong; she's not like other people-"

"Or those of high spiritual standings, for that matter." Sesshomaru added. "She had already healed everyone else yesterday, and while you were unconscious, she partially healed you before the monk and the demon slayer all but dragged her away. She truly is quite remarkable," Inuyasha's gaze returned to Kagome's sleeping face on his shoulder. She had done all of that? And had not even taken the time to heal her own injuries in the process? No wonder his injuries hadn't hurt nearly as much as he though they should have. His eyes softened. She had always been selfless and kind, no matter who the individual may be (he was speaking from experience). He turned to ask Sesshomaru something, but was surprised to see that he had already left, most likely to check on Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un.

He felt Kagome shift in his arms, so he turned his head in time to see her eyes slowly open. She moaned tiredly, too exhausted to even let lift her head, and attempted to blink back the sleepiness that threatened to claim her once more. Once her sight focused, she looked up at Inuyasha, and smiled sleepily as she muttered his name. He grinned half-heartedly back before sending her a glare.

"Kagome," his voice held and accusing tone, like a parent lecturing a child. He shook his head. He croaked out in a harsh whisper, "What the hell were you _thinking_, going around and healing everyone but yourself?" He softly demanded, though didn't really give her time to answer before continuing, "You should know better! You healed me _twice_, and I've got a pretty damn good hunch that you passed out after healing everyone yesterday once Sango and Miroku dragged you away from me, didn't you?" Though his tone was accusing, he was gently berating her, his voice full of concern, yet quiet with worry all at once. Unable to argue, Kagome simply nodded. He sighed heavily again. "Don't _DO_ that! You'll be the death of the _BOTH_ of us, because you'll exhaust yourself, and you'll worry _ME!_" He all but growled, burying his nose into her hair again to hide his frustrated scowl.

His hardened expression dissolved when he felt something wet and warm run down his neck on onto his shoulder, and he regretted saying those things the minute he was welcomed by her eyes, wavering and full of tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered shakily. "I didn't…I didn't know…" he pulled her closer and rested his head atop hers. Unsure of how to get her to stop crying, he gently rubbed her back up and down to soothe her as she wept once more.

"Don't…apologize," he muttered, unsure of how to console her. He knew that it was probably not the best idea to get her worked up in her condition but, dammit! She should _KNOW_ better! "You just…ugh, dammit Kagome, you can't just go around and heal everyone before you check on yourself!"

"But my injuries weren't as serious as yours or anyone else's in the group! I got lucky!"

"That's not the point," he whispered fervently against her hair. "What good would you be if you couldn't even manage to move around to help people? Did you think of that?" _'Did you think of the worry that you would put me through?'_ He felt her falter slightly; apparently, she had not done so.

"You're right," she muttered in reply. Honestly, she hadn't thought of her own injuries, or how they could effect how she could help people; she just wanted to focus on healing the others before she healed herself. She relaxed under Inuyasha's comforting hand running lovingly up and down her back and let her heavy lids start to droop. Sensing that she was about to succumb to her exhaustion, he held her a little closer while continuing his ministrations.

"Get some sleep, Kagome," he mumbled, his own eyelids growing heavy with sleep.

"Can I stay here?" She muttered back, though she looked like she was in no condition to move even if he had wanted her to leave. But he didn't want her _ANYWHERE_ but in his arms.

"I'd like that," was his only reply before he let his eyelids close. His hand stilled in its movements, but automatically gripped her shoulder so he could still hold her. She gave his comatose form a weary smile before she gave in to the temptation of slumber.

Their sleep lasted throughout the night, though such a slumber was new to Inuyasha's human form; before, on his human nights, he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of rest, always running, always and hiding from demons. But sitting against the Sacred Tree with his intended tucked safely away in his arms, made him feel safe and warm…though, he amended as he watched the sun peek over the horizon, that she always had that effect on him. His insides pulsated to welcome his demon blood back into its veins as he gradually returned to his half-demon state. His white, fluffy dog ears returned to their post atop his head as his silver hair replaced the blackness of his human locks. Mindful of the regenerating claws on his fingertips, he slackened his fists' grip on Kagome's shirt to keep from hurting her.

He turned his gaze to the slumbering girl leaning against him. She appeared much more rested, now that the dark bags under her eyes were gone, and her face relaxed. His nose twitched as his sharp sense of smell returned, and with it, the true power of Kagome's scent. Sure she smelled wonderful no matter what form he was in, but with his demonic senses, she just smelled so…was there a word for how good she smelled?

Ah well, he thought, resting his chin atop her head. For the first time in centuries, he was…carefree and happy; feelings he could get used to having around for a while. Though, from the looks of things, as he watched Sango and Miroku walk toward them hand in hand, those light and joyous feelings would last for quite a while.

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Should I do an epilogue? I was planning on it, but I don't want to have this story running longer than necessary (unlike certain mangaka –cough-Takahashi-cough-) so tell me what you guys think about this chapter, and if this should be the ending, okay? Reviews make me smile!


	10. Epilogue

Well…-sniffle- this is it…the ending of "Left in Pieces" –sob- I loved this story so much…-cries- here's the epilogue! And I would like to thank all of you who read this through from start to finish. You guys are the reason why I write these stories; otherwise, they would just be bottled up in my mind, kept to myself. So, without further ado, here it is.

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In all the years Inuyasha had lived, there was never a time that he could ever remember feeling this lighthearted and happy.

In fact, despite his usual indifferent or arrogant attitude, he had to resist the urge to grin from ear-to-ear as he aided the villagers in the restoration of their homes. Kaede's village, surprisingly enough, hadn't taken that long to rebuild; he had never thought of it before, but there really weren't that many homes in the first place (only about twelve). Though, much to his surprise, the following morning that Kagome had healed him (once he had regained his demonic blood, of course,) he found that the townsfolk had already begun putting the pieces of their homes back together, and had been halfway done already; every one of the huts' framework had already been set up, and people were bustling to gather wood to add onto the frames with. So, the rest had been light work for him and the others.

He hoisted another bundle of lumber onto his shoulder once he had securely fastened it together with the rope and carried it effortlessly down the dirt path toward the last remaining hut that needed to be built; one of only two that had not been there before. This time the hanyou couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips as he recalled the villagers all but eagerly accepting their request to build their own homes within the village; one for Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, and one for Kagome and Inuyasha.

Though Kagome had offered Shippo to stay with them, he insisted that he stay with Kaede and help with the home's upkeep. As for Kohaku, as much as it hurt Sango, he ended up going on his own, explaining that he simply could not live with his sister until he managed to cope with what he had done; of course, he accepted his responsibility, and had avenged his fallen comrades, but he needed to forgive himself before he could move on. Though the scene was heart-wrenching, Sango was coping well with his departure, with the help and support of her friends and husband.

Sango and Miroku had already finished their hut and had moved in just down the single path that made up the village; just a simple walk down the road was all that was required to pop in and visit. This last bundle of wood was all that was needed to put the finishing touches on their hut, and it could at last be inhabited. Both couples had decided to keep it simple; both chose to just build small, one-roomed huts that would be enough to start a family in when the time came.

Though he continued to fill in the gaping hole with the woodwork he had cut with his Tetsusaiga, one thought plagued him still, despite Naraku's demise. The jewel, the one thing that they had all strived to complete for the past few years, was now whole, and in Kagome's possession, though the wish that they should make on it was what always nagged in the deepest corner of his mind. He already knew that he wasn't going to use it; using it to become a youkai or ningen no longer appealed to him. After all, in either case, it was just for the sole purpose of acceptance, but Kagome had made herself more than clear when she purified Naraku's miasma from his body that she loved him just as he was, so there was no point in his using it. Granted, he wondered if he should suggest that they wish for the well to stay open so that Kagome could still see her family and come back here, but…he wasn't sure if that was the "right wish" either. Such a solemn decision could not be taken lightly; one slip up and he could very well lose his Kagome to the ravages of time that separated them. Then again, there was always that one other idea of his…

"Inuyasha, is there something wrong?" He almost jumped at the sound of Kagome's voice, not really knowing how he could have possibly missed her (perhaps a bit too much thinking). He must have been showing his concern without realizing it; he tended to do that quite often. Finishing with the last piece of wood, he jumped down from the roof and walked around the side to where Kagome was standing. Her warm smile was just a bit too contagious for his own good, as he felt himself reciprocating it before he could stop himself.

"No, it's nothing," he replied as he leaned his shoulder against the side of the house and crossed his arms casually. "Why, what's going on?" He asked, though noted that her only response was that her smile faltered slightly. He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow in concern. "Kagome?"

"It's just, with the jewel completed, the others and I decided we'd best choose what the wish on it will be sometime soon. We have to make the 'right wish' before something else could happen to disrupt it, and I came to ask what you thought; after all, your opinion matters just as much as ours," she replied in a quiet voice as her teeth worried her bottom lip-- a nervous habit of hers. His head tilted back upright, showing that he understood how serious an ordeal this was. His eyes saddened noticeably as he lowered his head slightly. His ears pressed against his skull at the reminder of his troublesome thoughts before.

"I know we need to get rid of the jewel before any more evil corrupts it and all, but…" his voice trailed off as he tried to form the right words. Knowing that voicing his deepest concerns wasn't one of his strong points, she waited patiently. "What if something happens and you're forced back to your era?" She was silent for a moment, her eyes clouding over in thought.

"…If that's the case," she started slowly. "Then I would fight it with every fiber in my being, and try to find a way back to you." There was a sort of…fire in her tone that left him unable to pry any further into her thoughts as she spun on her heel and started to walk away. He walked beside her to grasp her hand within his clawed one. She smiled warmly at the contact and gave his hand an affectionate squeeze.

"Ah! Hey you guys! So glad you're here!" Sango greeted cheerfully when she spotted her friends approaching the home she now shared with her husband. Hearing her greeting Inuyasha and Kagome, Miroku decided it best to leave his woodwork for a moment to receive them as well. Though everyone was cheerful, and relieved at Naraku's demise, the decision of what the wish on the jewel was to be hung above them like a black ominous cloud. Miroku cleared his throat once he stopped before his friends.

"It is good to see you both again, but we must resolve the matter at hand before we may take anything too lightly," he spoke with such a grave tone that even Inuyasha had to suppress a shudder. But knowing that he was absolutely right, the others nodded in agreement. Without making a sound, Kagome reached up to her neck and pulled out the chain linked to the Jewel of Four Souls. After a moment's pause, she turned to the others with a surprisingly hardened expression.

"You all make the decision; I don't need it for anything," she said in a voice that contrasted her expression in gentleness. Her friends stared at her in shock. Inuyasha was the only one who voiced the thoughts that coursed through all of their minds as they gaped at the priestess.

"But you worked just as hard as all of us to restore it-"

"When I was the one who broke it in the first place," something about the finality of her response left no room for argument, though the look on Inuyasha's face made it clear that he was certainly NOT happy with the prospect of excluding her from the decision of what wish to make. Sango seemed to be oddly distant, staring off at nothing in particular, until she said slowly,

"I don't need it either," Miroku spun to face her fully, his already shocked expression intensifying.

"But…Kohaku-?"

"Kohaku is dealing with it his own way. I have forgiven him, but he has yet to forgive himself. Forcing him to come back when he isn't ready would be like forcing him into a prison," though it pained her to say it, it was indeed true; her little brother had been suffering long enough. "In light of that," she continued, "it would be cruel of me to do such a thing to him." Understanding her motives, the others didn't question her further. Inuyasha turned to Miroku.

"What about you? What's your wish?" The hanyou asked, though was rather surprised to see that, for once, Miroku's usually wise and thoughtful face was oddly blank, as if he had lost all trace of thought.

"I…I have none." Though it was a statement, it seemed to be more of a realization for the monk. In all honesty, he wanted nothing more than what he already had; the wind tunnel was gone, banished with Naraku into the depths of hell and with it the curse that had haunted his bloodline for two previous generations, he had a wonderful wife, a home, and a surrogate family of friends. He had all that he could ever dream of.

"That leaves you, Inuyasha," Kagome said, plucking the chain from her neck and handing the precious Jewel to him. He was about to refuse when Kagome took his hand and lifted it to drop the jewel into its hold. He stared at it in complete and utter awe, aware that the fate of his intended, and his future with her, was literally in the palm of his clawed hand. But it was then that he suddenly realized what the right wish was. His intentions were pure, and that was what counted in such a case.

"I have to admit, it's kinda hard for me to come up with a wish," he said slowly, thinking out how he should word his wish correctly. "But there is one that I do have. One that affects all of you, so I'll ask if it is what you want before I wish it," he lifted his gaze from the jewel in his hand to look into their awaiting faces. "I mean, we've kind of ended up being one entire family, but the only problem with that is that I wouldn't age nearly as quickly as the rest of you, and neither would Shippo or Kirara, so I just want to ask…" he paused, careful with his words. "…If it's alright that I use the wish for you all, Kohaku included, to age as demons do, so that we may still stay as a family throughout the ages."

The few moments of silence that hung in the air were almost unbearable for the hanyou, but he steadily met each of his friends' gazes with his own, his eyes never once faltering. Kagome was the first to break out in an ecstatic grin before she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I would love to," she fervently whispered into his ear.

"Count us in, too!" Sango said happily, with Miroku nodding eagerly beside her. Inuyasha breathed out a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he was holding before he wrapped his arms around Kagome and held her tight. Just above a whisper, he uttered his wish to the jewel that his hand was now holding in a vice grip. His heart hammered in his chest as he saw its glow peeking out from the gaps in between his fingers and within the crook of his palm as the jewel dissolved from his grasp until all that was left was an empty chain wrapped limply around his clawed fingers. The pink glittery dust that the jewel had become split off into three directions, two of the streaks of sparkles creeping over to Sango and Miroku before encompassing them in their light, and the final one flittering over his and Kagome's heads and gently rained over them.

When the glow finally settled within all three humans, they faintly heard a rich, feminine disembodied voice carry itself to them on the winds, whispering a quiet _'Thank you, o warriors of time,'_ before disappearing into nothingness. Kagome, who had detached from her hanyou only enough to watch the spectacle of Inuyasha's wish unfold, looked back at him with a wide smile. "It's over," she whispered in almost disbelief. "It's over!" She exclaimed as she leapt up and embraced him again, which he gladly returned with just as much glee. Sango, sensing that they certainly needed time alone (and so did she and her husband, thank you very much!) she dragged an almost unwilling Miroku back into the hut.

"But Sango-!" Miroku all but whined at his beloved wife, who simply shook her head and whispered something inaudible in his ear. Though what she said, no one else ever knew, it certainly had him pulling her back into the hut at an inhumane speed that it was almost comical. Evidently, it was humorous enough to send Inuyasha and Kagome into a fit of laughter.

"So, how long do you think it'll be before I'll start getting called 'uncle'?" Inuyasha asked once he'd regained his composure. He laced his clawed fingers with hers as they began making their way back to their home.

"The same amount of time it'll take for me to be called 'aunt.'" Kagome retorted like it was obvious. Her hanyou rolled his eyes but chuckled at her antics all the same. But a sudden thought struck him: what about when they had kids? What if she wanted kids? He shook his head. Nah, it's way too early to be thinking of things like that…right?

"Hey Inuyasha, Kagome, over here!" The couple turned in the direction of Shippo's voice, coming from Kaede's hut to see him bounding over to where they had stopped walking. Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hand in time to catch the little kitsune in a hug as he leapt up into her arms.

"How are you doing, Shippo?" She asked warmly.

"Do you have anymore of those 'loll-ee-pops'?" He asked, his little face scrunching up as he attempted to pronounce the name of the treat correctly. Kagome giggled at his antics.

"If you're good and help Kaede out today, I'll give you two of them, alright?" She bargained, and could have sworn that his face lit up ecstatically in response.

"I will Kagome! I'll do a good job, too!" He promised in glee as he sprang from her arms and scrambled back to Kaede, who was currently working in her herb garden. She turned and gave a wave to the couple before returning to her chores. Kagome waved back as they continued walking.

"Do you even have any more of those things left?" Inuyasha asked her. Kagome nodded.

"Yeah, I have a whole pack of them in my bag. I figured that if I kept some around, Shippo would eventually sniff them out and want some." She laughed as she started racing ahead back to their hut. "Come on, Dog Boy!" She called back happily. He laughed before chasing after her.

"Coming, Dog Boy's wife!"

You know, there was something about calling her 'wife' that made his heart absolutely soar.


End file.
